A Thousand Hands
by MrWanted Outlaw John
Summary: The rise and fall of the man who moved nations; Senju Hashirama.
1. Chapter 1

**A Thousand Hands**

**Summary:** The rise and fall of the man who moved nations; Senju Hashirama.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto Series is not mine

**Arc One: **The Mountain Top

**Chapter One**

"_Seek in high bare trails_

_sky reflecting_

_violets …_

_Mountain-top jewels"_

_- Basho_

"Hashi … Hashirama? Still trying to feel the universe?"

His eyes were closed, but he was certainly not without sight. Instead, his body saw for him. He felt the mountain he sat on, a sleeping behemoth. Yet even in its slumber its power was without measure. He could feel the forest beneath him, so full of natural wonder and the footsteps of people as they moved with somber eager toward a ceremony of commemoration. Atop the mountain, he saw everything that was, is, and ever would be. It pleased him.

Hashirama felt almost sad as he opened his eyes, and relinquished his grip of the universe. Slowly the universe melted away, and he was once again limited to only what his eyes could see. His intruder stepped closer, and offered him a hand which he gladly took.

"You've been up here for four hours," Tobirama said. "We're going to miss the funeral."

When Hashirama had folded his legs atop the mountain and closed his eyes, the sky had been the darkest shade of black. When Tobirama had ventured out of the village to find his brother atop the mountain, the sky had transformed into a dull gray. Now, as they stood together atop the mountain, the sun was rising to its pedestal in the heavens, and the sky was now a myriad of reds, golds and yellows.

"Heaven's garment is without seems," Hashirama said.

"Always the philosopher. Come on, else we'll be late."

They made a quick descent toward the village, speaking lightly about the day to come. The funeral had been scheduled early in the morning to keep it from conflicting too much with the daily life of their little village. Tobirama said that winter was coming, and they would need to stock up on money quickly as money was hard to come across when the sun waned earlier.

The brothers reached the village just as the final villagers were leaving their small, wooden homes and walking to the nearby pasture used to give the dead their final goodbyes. Several hundred people were gathered, dressed in their best clothing and wearing their most sympathetic faces. They split down the middle and the let the two brothers pass.

Whispers filled the air. It was still hard to swallow for many of the villagers that Hashirama and Tobirama were brothers. Hashirama was very tan with straight, black, and flowing hair that could tickle his waist if left unwrapped. Tobirama has very pale, and sported shaggy, white hair that jutted towards the sky. Nevertheless, as they walked shoulder to shoulder to the burning area, no two people could have seemed closer.

Once they made it to the front of the group, the whispers were silenced. An old man, Chuuko, dressed in the traditional clothe of the forest gods, stood next to an open wooden casket; inside lay a wrinkled woman who was not quite ancient, but old enough to have died peacefully in her sleep.

"We assemble this morning," Chuuko began, "to offer our hands of assistance to Senju Nagori on her ascension into the warm breasts of Amaterasu, and of Jizo, and of Inari. First, we must remember fondly her husband, Tamago. He was a man who defended this quaint village with all his heart and might.

"Second, we must remember fondly her sons, Hashirama and Tobirama, for they have dedicated their very beings to the well being of the people beneath his mountain. But most importantly, we must fondly remember Nagori's actions. We must fondly remember how she loved without asking anything in return. How she toiled, without peeping a word of discomfort. How she offered her single hand a thousand times to those in need. For these reasons, we now offer her our thousand hands."

The ceremony continued in a similar fashion. Confessions were made, regrets were voiced, roses were given. Once everyone had said their piece, Hashirama raised his mother's coffin with rudimentary Earth Style Jutsu, and then the coffin was lit.

The Senju brothers stood in silence; the flame patiently picked away at their mother's body, and her soul returned from whence it came. Once the body was gone, the people of the village all surrounded them and delivered hasty condolences before returning home to tend to their own families.

"My condolences for your loss, Hasirama, Tobirama," Chuuko said, "she was a wonderful woman."

"I have no regrets," Tobirama said.

"Neither have I," Hashirama said. "In this world of strife, we can only be thankful that she passed peacefully with her sons on either side of her bed."

Once left to their own devices, the two brothers returned home to enjoy what could have been considered a day off for them. Tobirama brewed them some tea, and they sat in silence. The brothers basked in the memory of the aged woman who had once gently sifted through the humble abode.

"We'll need to move quickly," Tobirama said, putting his cup down. "We'll be given, at most, another three weeks before the chill sets in. The harvests this year have been unimpressive … if we can't cushion it with a hefty supply of money for the village, some might starve."

"Tanzaku Gai," Hashirama said. "That city is plagued by raids around this time. Surely they have no shortage of need for ninja guards."

"I'll be the one to go then," Tobirama said. "We can't have you returning there, can we?"

Hashirama blushed at Tobirama's playful jab. His first, and last, trip to Tanzaku Gai had been marked by a horrible defeat. A pair of young lasses had lured him into a gambling spot. There they had loosened him with drinks until he gambled away every bit of money he had brought.

"You're no better," he replied in haste.

After having their fill of conversation, the two went out to attend to duties they should have ignored for the day. They patrolled the village's indistinct borders for any sign of bandits and helped villagers with tasks requiring strength and dexterity. It was not until the blue sky had blushed red that they met in an open space not too far from the village, but far enough to provide them seclusion and sat right next to the Naka River.

They stood across from each other, bare chested, and dropped into solid fighting stances. They moved slowly forwards until their leading forearms grazed. Leaves blew gently in the wind. Hashirama thought briefly that the trees bathed in red and gold sunlight, while swaying back and forth, looked distinctly like flames.

Tobirama struck first, like lightning. He released a flurry of blows that were too fast for a normal eye to follow. Hashirama countered with skill. He parried until he saw an opening and struck, only to miss as his brother had ducked to the ground and was attempting to knock his feet out from under him. Hashirama leaped away like a grass hopper, and they stood once more in stance.

They met again in a flurry of blows with neither gaining an upper hand. Once distance had been made, Hashirama made a quick set of hand seals.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Spears!"

Hashirama stomped the ground underneath, which rolled forward in a wave as giant spears of solid earth erupted from the ground and chased his brother hungrily. Tobirama leaped into the air to avoid a grisly demise. Hashirama continued his offensive.

"Water Style: Tearing Torrent!"

The Naka river came to life behind him. A steam of water snaked from its essence and made its way rapidly towards Tobirama, gaining speed and strength with each passing moment. Tobirama quickly ran through hand seals. He landed with the grace of heron and extended his hands to meet the oncoming water. Instead of shattering his arms, the water moved to his whim; it split evenly between his two palms.

"Water Style: Water Sword!"

Tobirama swung his hands at Hashirama and the water lurched forward while filing down to the form of two razor thin blades. The blades of water cleaved clean through Hashirama's earthen spikes and continued their trajectory. Hashirama inwardly reprimanded himself for his folly; Tobirama could not be defeated in mastery Water Style techniques.

"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"

The ground in front Hashirama rose to his defense in the shape of solid, earthen wall. The first of Tobirama's blades was handily absorbed, but the second found a weak point that shattered the wall before dispersing. Tobirama came like a blade himself. He sliced through the rubble and delivered a solid blow to his brother's cheek. Before he could continue, a pair of earthen hands latched onto his ankles.

Hashirama quickly regained his composure and back handed his brother hard enough for Tobirama to roll away.

They met again in a clash of fists; no animosity was born between. Rather, a brotherhood was deepened. They moved gracefully around each other in what might have seemed like a dance to an untrained eye. Sword sharpening sword. Once they had blacksmith-ed to their hearts content, the brothers bowed gracefully to each other before sitting beside the river and digging into their dinner.

They joked heartily about times past and times to come.

Then they spoke politics; their frequent outings to the greater cities of Fire Country kept them well informed. The Fire Daimyo continued to hole away in his fortress of marble as the country fell even more to the dogs. Though it could not be said that a single other nation was faring any better. News from the south was that the Uchiha Clan had most suddenly gained an upper hand in their never ending battle against the Fuuma Clan.

They had only met an Uchiha once before; Uchiha were prominent in the southern plains but rare here in the forests. Their father had been alive then, and they had been but boys. The Uchiha had been a man fleeing his clan. Their father had hidden his tracks, protected him and facilitated his escape into Earth Country.

"Do you think …" Tobirama began, "that there's something beyond the Five Countries? Beyond all this war?"

"Wherever, and whenever, you are, there is always war."

The topic then shifted to woman. Tobirama took great pleasure in harassing his elder brother for Hashirama may as well have been an adolescent when faced with a woman with courtship on her mind. But even so relaxed the two were tensely prepared. They knew, both of them, that a figure had been lurking in the foliage since they had begun their dual.

Finally, the figure gained the courage to scuttle out of the trees and move gently towards them. He was a short fellow with a gleaming head and flowing orange and yellow robes

"You watched us long enough to paint a portrait," Tobirama joked.

"Forgive me," the man said, bowing his head, "I didn't wish to disturb you."

"Only to watch us instead?"

"Tobi … be kind," Hashirama said. "You're a monk … of what congregation?"

"The Fire Temple," the monk said. "Our following his small, but our faith is strong. My name is Nezumi, and yours?"

"I'm Hashirama, and this one here is my brother, Tobirama. Forgive his rudeness, but I'm sure you can understand that not many people can handle being spied upon as well as I can. Regardless, it's getting dark. Come with us to our home; surely you've been traveling. We'll feed you, and you'll tell us your intentions."

The sky was an inky black by the time they had reached their home. Distance stars twinkled like diamonds in the sky. Hashirama sat down with food and tea at the central table, across from Nezumi. Tobirama nestled himself in the corner and laid his head gently against a giant, white fur that he cared for like he would his own child.

"You are great warriors," Nezumi said. "I've never seen such immense skill, and I've met my fair share of ninjas. You said you are brothers … how can that be?"

"We only share a mother," Hashirama said. "And it was Tobi's father that trained us to be such excellent practitioners of the art. Anyway, what exactly would a monk want with ninjas?"

"Protection," Nezumi squeaked. "My temple has been under constant pressure from bandits lately. Usually, they are no problem for we are well versed in self defense. Recently, however, the bandits have grown bold and powerful. Both in numbers and in skill. Runaway ninjas have joined their group, and many of us have been killed. I fear they will launch a major assault sometime this week, and I came in search of you."

"Just how did you hear of us?" Tobirama asked.

"I approached the Yamanka Clan for help, and they suggested that I find you," Nezumi answered.

"Well … I am willing to consider it," Hashirama said. "But, this village is our home, and we cannot leave it unless compensation is hefty."

"I understand. I've come bearing fifteen thousand ryu for one week of your protection."

The brothers took leave of him to discuss it elsewhere. Tobirama was suspicious of his intentions, but neither of them could turn down such an offer. Fifteen thousand ryu would be more than enough to cushion the village for the entire winter season. They argued for only a second about who between them would go; Tobirama realized with haste that he probably would not enjoy being in a monastery for a single second. Let alone an entire week.

Nezumi disagreed.

"I won't pay fifteen thousand for only one of you; seven thousand then?"

"One of us will be enough," Hashirama assured him. "Either fifteen thousand, or you'll leave the village alone tomorrow morning."

The monk grudgingly agreed. His monastery was a day's walk away for a normal man, so it was decided they would leave just as the sky turned the dullest gray color. And so they did. They rose early, and Chuuko was told of the transpirings. The old man gladly gave his blessings for the voyage; anything to lessen the blow of the bad harvest and ensure that his status as the villages leader was safe for another winter season.

So that morning, before the sun peaked its head over the horizon, Hashirama rose, donned his finest clothing and grabbed his sword; his final present from their father. Tamago had been a ninja hailing from Water Country, where swords were made the finest.

This particular sword was one of legendary make; the Sword of Kusanagi. Its story dated back to ancient times, when beasts and gods roamed the earth along with men. A great warrior had supposedly pulled the blade from the stomach of a beast he had slain. While Hashirama did not particularly know if he believed the story, he could not deny that the blade was of the finest craftsmanship.

So they took their leave, just as sun rays began to illuminate the village like a flame.

Most of the journey was covered in silence, but they exchanged brief stories every hour or so. Hashirama told Nezumi about his adopted father, and the skills he had ingrained in him. Nezumi told Hashirama of his past; he had been a vagabond and a thief. One day he had been captured stealing and had been doomed to execution. It was then that Mottomo, the head of the Fire Temple, had saved him in exchange for his loyalty to the temple.

Along the way they stopped at a small inn to rest. It was there that Hashirama learned that Nezumi was not the most abstaining monk. While there, the young monk gladly indulged himself in the cheap alcohol and loose woman of the town. The rest of their journey was awkward as Nezumi smelt of alcohol and shame, and many times they had to stop so that he could regain his wits.

Just as the sun began to slink back into darkness, they arrived. The temple was cleverly hidden in three directions by thick foliage, with its front facing an open field of flowers. A set of marble steps lead them up to a large brass gate which was surrounded on each side by two brass figures of Tengu; half-human and half-crow demon creatures. On the gates was what Hashirama recognized as a rudimentary sealing jutsu that kept them locked, and probably had some function of keeping enemies from simply scaling the walls.

Nezumi, now sober and thoroughly ashamed, stepped to the front of the gate and preformed a small ritual. In seconds the gates hummed, and then slowly opened. Then, they walked onto a small field of dirt. The actual temple, a red and white building with brown steps, was right in front of them. They walked over to the steps, where they waited.

Hashirama took a deep breath, and smiled. This place overflowed with … something. He was not quite sure what, but it pleased him.

The doors of the compound slipped open. Two men walked down the brown steps to them. To the right was a short and bald old man with tan skin and narrow eyes; Hashirama immediately identified him as Mottomo. At his side was a man of great stature and piercing eyes.

They bowed deeply, and Hashirama and Nezumi followed suit.

"You've returned," Mottomo said. "Is this the ninja protector whom you called upon?"

"Yes, Master," Nezumi said, bowing his head. "His name is Hashirama, and he is the leader of a small village not too far east of this very temple."

Mottomo turned his gaze to Hashirama, who met it politely.

"How do we know we can trust you?"

"I am a man of my word, first and foremost," Hashirama said. "I have given my word to defend his temple with my life for one week. And for that one week, I shall."

Apparently Mottomo deemed him trustworthy enough, and had his guard, Musei, lead Hashirama into the temple. The walls of the interior were lined with murals; paintings of great battles against great beasts throughout history. Noticeably, the wall bore only one mural of battle between a man and another man, yet it was the most epic of them all.

Musei led Hashirama to a room they had prepared for him. It was small but well lit, and the futon was very comfortable. He noticed immediately that, while the temple grew decidedly silent in the night, it was far from asleep. Monks moved throughout the compound to do their nightly rituals. The shifting of feet and the feeling of wonder that the temple exuded made Hashirama restless.

Without a single monk noticing, he slipped out of his room and out of the compound to the dirt field in front of it. There he sat with his legs crossed and eyes closed … and once again he was able to truly see. This place was alive with nature's energy. He saw the movement within the temple; blobs of chakra with human shape scurrying about.

But then he saw the energy beneath him … it was a deep, endless cavern of, not chakra, but pure energy. No matter how far he looked, he could find no end to it. It was like trying to swim to the bottom of the ocean he eventually rationalized. So, he settled simply for swimming in circles, and finally, he reached out to touch it …

"They say," Mottomo said from behind him, "that humans and animals aren't the only ones possessing chakra. There are people that would argue that everything living or not has some kind of chakra. It doesn't run well with my particular train of thought, but would you agree, Mr. Hashirama?"

"Not chakra," Hashirama said, rising, "but energy … I feel it; it has no alliance, no master. It is its own power. Forgive me, did I arise suspicion?"

"None," Mottomo assured him. "Its just that I've met many ninja in my life … but never have I known a ninja to meditate."

Mottomo led Hashirama back inside the temple, after assuring him that the grounds were being thoroughly surveyed at all times. Back on the way to his room, Hashirama spotted, again, the mural of the two men battling. Mottomo explained that that story was the primary scripture of the beliefs of the monks in the Fire Temple.

The legend said that there were once two brothers who were born long before the era of warring ninja, but yet wielded immense power beyond the scope of any current man's imagination. The brothers bore distinctly different beliefs about how one could acquire ultimate power. The elder brother believed that the ultimate key to power was hatred, and that he could only overcome a truly fearsome enemy by hating them more than they hated him.

The younger brother believed that the ultimate key to power was love, and that he could only overcome a truly fearsome enemy by fighting to protect that which he loved. Their father, an ailing old man, left everything he owned to the younger brother upon his death, for he preferred his method of gaining strength.

For that reason, the elder brother then came to hate his younger brother in the same fashion by which he hated his enemies. That hatred gave him power, and he challenged the younger brother and the younger brother's ideals. The elder brother told his younger brother that if he triumphed in their dual, then he would take the younger brother's wife for his own, and kill his children.

And thus their great dual began; it shook the world. Mountains shattered, seas expanded and the very earth was scarred; yet their power was equal. Finally, the elder brother set his younger brother on fire and gloated for what he thought was victory.

But the younger brother was not defeated for his will to protect his love and his home was much like the fire that attempted to consume him, it was relentless. The younger brother tamed the flames, and used them to obliterate that brother whom he had loved.

Mottomo did not claim that the story was fact; in fact he even implied that it was a fable derived from other fables. But still, Hashirama admitted that there was no denying the power of it. He imagined, for a moment, having to kill his own brother. His blood ran cold at the thought Tobirama's passing, let alone at Tobirama dying by his hands. But, his brother and that which he loved to protect was one in the same, and that gave him a sense of peace.

"The Will of Fire," Mottomo said. "The will to protect that which you love. I love his temple, so I will always be willing to fight for it. And you, Mr. Hashirama? What do you wish to protect?"

Hashirama went to bed with images of the story reeling through his head silently. He saw the two figures, who loved each other no doubt, split apart by a simple matter of ideology. He saw their epic battle: the crumbling mountains, the surging seas … and he wondered, knowing already the answer, how many men of the world had taken the path of the older brother. Hatred was as staple as wheat in Fire Country. It was as natural as water or land on this continent.

And the philosophies of the younger brother? They were hiding away behind foliage in the far corners of Fire Country and were protected by nothing more than an old man and him … for one week. How easy it is for men to chose the path of hatred, he thought, when the path of love provides so much more.

Hashirama's dreams took him back on his journey. He retraced his steps carefully; first he walked through the open field in front of the temple, then he found a trail that meandered recklessly around Tanzaku Gai, then he found the small inn he had stayed in. There he bought tea and smiled at the old lady behind the counter. All the while he was engulfed in flames.

Finally, he found his way back beneath his mountain. But, for the life of him, could not find his village. He sought bare roads and made his way to the mountain-top. There, the sky reflected a deep, violet hue, and he found his villagers gleaming in the darkness, like jewels.

**Chapter Edited**


	2. Chapter 2

******A Thousand Hands**

******Summary****: **The rise and fall of the man who moved nations; Senju Hashirama.

******Disclaimer: ****Naruto Series is not mine**

******Arc One****: **The Mountain Top

**Chapter 2**

"_On my travels stricken-_

_my dreams over the dry land_

_go on roving."_

_- Basho_

Tobirama's shifty eyes traced the lining of her body underneath his linens; she had skin like silk and brown hair that sprawled across his body like a spider's web. For a moment he felt the tiniest tinge of regret, for he knew their forbidden love was not meant to last. As if aware of his assessment, Nara Peko awoke suddenly and, in great haste, got dressed.

"In such a hurry?" he asked, smirking.

It was just dawn, and she told him what he already knew: as the head of her clan, the Nara, it would be a disaster for her to be caught being affectionate with a man not her husband, especially a powerful beneficiary such as himself. Peko had come to the small village under the mountain with the official goal of setting up the year's small trading routes; they were changed annually to avoid banditry. The Nara Clan was very good with medicine, and the Senju brothers were good with keeping them protected.

"Oh, Pekopeko," he teased. "When will you finally surrender to me?"

"Don't call me that!" she hissed. "And you know it can never be."

Tobirama was not a man to accept defeat, but he dropped the issue. After all, she would return to him as she always did. He decided it was best not to push her moods, for she had information that he needed. Being the head of a formal clan, though not powerful by any sense of the word, Peko was privilege to news pertaining to other clans. He needed no such news, but he made it a point to stay current on the country's affairs.

"Anything interesting for me?"

"Oh … just something small," she teased. "The Uchiha and Fuuma rivalry has ended. The Uchiha won a decisive victory in their last battle; the Fuuma have been scattered to the winds!"

Tobirama could not hide his astonishment. The Fuuma and Uchiha rivalry was legendary. The Uchiha were infamous for their Fire Element techniques, while the Fuuma were the continent's masters of Wind Element techniques. It was whispered that the two warring clans had created the plains in the south with their fighting; the flames fueled by the winds were said to have incinerated the once lush southern forests.

"The Uchiha clan is under new leadership," Peko said. "Two brothers have taken control of the clan. Word has it that their power and authority are unrivalled, and one of them delivered the Fuuma's defeat single handed."

"I fear for all of us," Tobirama said, "if you decide to move north."

"The Uchiha love their plains; it allows for head to head combat. They won't move here. And even if they do …" she kissed him passionately, "not even an entire clan can topple the Senju brothers."

Peko left silently, and ignored his continued interrogations. She always refused to tell him when he would see her again. Tobirama, briefly, realized that he was asking much of her. But he cared little; his passion was strong and he expected that it be satisfied.

Tobirama did not leave his home until the sun was high in the sky. The village was alive now; too alive to notice him slip away. He left a Water Clone to patrol the town before he vanished into the dense foliage. He moved with no sense of hurry. Eventually he broke the foliage and came to a lake so small that all of its ends were visible from his position.

Tobirama plunged into the water without a moment of hesitation. He moved through the water with a mastered ease, like a fish returning to its natural habitat. Eventually, Tobirama found his way to a tunnel in the lake floor. He slipped through it and eventually ended up on semi dry land. He was in a cave that had ceiling spikes and water dripping steadily from that ceiling; the sound of water filled his ears.

Also, the sound of muffled screams.

Tobirama found his subjects: two men were strapped to the walls, one dead, and the other screaming through a gag. Tobirama felt no guilt; these two men were less than trash. They were bandit ninjas who had slipped into his village a few days ago, after Hashirama's departure. They had raped a woman and killed her son. Their execution would have been swift, yet brutal, had Hashirama been home. But he was not, and Tobirama had found a much better use for them.

"You will serve a great purpose," Tobirama assured the screaming wretch.

The premise behind Tobirama's experiment was simple. He had witnessed much death in his life, and in that time he had concluded with certainty that avoiding death was impossible. But, he had been given no evidence to support that the human soul simply vanished after the body withered. It had to be somewhere … and he was sure he could call it back.

A quick set of seals: tiger, snake, dog, dragon … he clapped his hands.

"Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation!"

_**Fire Temple …**_

"Reincarnation?" Hashirama asked.

He stood alongside Mottomo; they were in a dark and dusty room full of antiques from an older age. The room was lined with ancient samurai swords and armors, and marked periodically by staffs. What he had found most interesting over the last few days was the scrolls. They all contained various stories … all of them with the general recurring theme of endless violence. None like the story of the brothers. But now, his eyes lay squarely on a rusting bronze statue of fat, jolly man.

"Yes," Mottomo said, "reincarnation. The Buddah was very popular when samurai ruled. The idea was simply that one could only find happiness by abandoning material greed, and releasing the illusion of control. If one did not do those things, they would be reincarnated and given the chance to try again. The idea greatly pleased disgraced samurai."

Hashirama resisted a sneer at the thought.

"Reincarnation …" he repeated distastefully.

"While it was popular among samurai," Mottomo continued, "believers were slaughtered en mass during the rise of Ninjutsu warfare. After all, with the hellish lives that are lived in this plane of existence, the idea of returning here after finally having been set free appalled many. Can you imagine the fear, and the hatred, and the-"

"Can you imagine the rage?!" Hashirama asked him.

_**Tobirama's Cave …**_

The hellish ritual lasted only a moment.

The living bandit screamed one last, wretched scream before his soul was handed over in sacrifice to the gods of death. Instantaneously, the already dead bandit's head snapped up. The whites of his eyes had given away to a pitch black, and his pupils were a solid and cold gray. The reincarnated man looked around at his new surroundings, and finally, at his reviver.

Tobirama could not help but smile.

"Can you hear m-"

The resurrected opened his mouth wide and screamed. It was a sound that shook Tobirama down to his bones. Three voices mixed into one; the voice of the Death God had accompanied the two merged souls to make a sound that was nothing sort of terrifying. The man, now the creature in Tobirama's mind, lurched forward and broke free of his shackles with relative ease … still screaming his hell scream.

"I am your summoner!" Tobirama shouted.

The creature paid him no mind as it leaped into action to smite him. With a single movement, Tobirama lobbed the bandit's head right off his shoulders. Within moments, the head had reattached itself. Tobirama cursed the pitfalls of his own jutsu.

"Water Style: Water Binding Snake!"

The dripping water of the cavern formed into a large snake. The beast roared and sent the sound of rushing water echoing throughout the cavern. The water snake smoothly wrapped its body around the screaming resurrected warrior. Tobirama touched the revived man gently on the head.

"Release!"

The body turned to dust and scattered across the cavern. Overwhelmed, Tobirama collapsed to his back. His breathing was rapid, but eventually it came to match the rhythm of the dripping water. The jutsu was incomplete, which did not bother him particularly so ... but that scream; it made him shiver. His thoughts went on roving, until eventually, when he felt as if they would suffocate him, he returned to dry land.

_**Fire Temple …**_

The monks rushed to their various positions of defense. The attack had come without warning; shuriken had rained down on the monastery like death from the heavens and killed two people. Now the monks adopted a fiery attitude. They climbed their scared walls and their essence of protection could be seen by the blindest eyes. Fire jutsu rained down on the incoming enemy, but two of them slipped into the court yard, where Hashirama met them.

"I'll tell you once," Hashirama said. "Leave here with your lives."

They were much smaller than him, and dressed completely in purple cloth that allowed them to meld surprisingly easily with the evening hue. Their only revealed skin was on their right shoulders, which were marked by a tattoo that identified them as part of a clan. This was more than just a group of roaming bandits, Hashirama realized.

They moved on him in unison with their kunai ready. Hashirama snatched one of them out of the air and slammed him with ferocity into the ground. He pivoted on a single foot and kicked the one coming behind him squarely in the jaw. The message was not as powerful as he had hoped, for they continued their assault with a renewed sense of energy. With little remorse he killed them both; he snapped one's neck and stabbed the other with his own kunai.

"Hashirama!" Nezumi called from the wall. "There are to too many coming!"

Hashirama joined Nezumi atop the wall; too many was correct. The field just beneath the monastery walls was littered with purple wearing bodies, and the bodies of monks who had went down to meet them. In the distance there was a mass of purple moving their way; Hashirama imagined that there were at least seventy of them. That was nearly twice the number of monks he had at his disposal.

Hashirama leaped down and waited for the mass to grow closer.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Pillar!"

The ground beneath Hashirama lurched into the air. Within seconds he stood atop a twenty foot stone pillar. That seemed to draw the attention of the man leading the group of ninjas. He was the only one of them that was unmasked; a tall, bald fellow with a scar across his face and scowl to match it.

"I am Idate, leader of the Morino clan," the leader pronounced. "Are you the head of this temple?"

"No," Hashirama said. "But, I have been charged with protecting this temple with my life. I'll give you one chance to turn back peacefully."

They attacked at the very moment by blotting his vision with a wave of shuriken and kunai. Hashirama skillfully hid on the opposite end of the pillar and replied in kind.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Shards!"

Hashirama stomped the back of the pillar. The rock formation split into hundreds of shards of hardened earth and zipped through the enemy ranks like a scythe might cleave through souls. They wasted not a minute surrounding him on all sides, but then his Kusanagi blade was in his hands, and he began mowing them down like grass and scattering their souls to the winds.

Hashirama ducked beneath a blow, and used a small Earth spear to intercept an enemy in mid air. The impaled man screamed in agony as the spear disemboweled him. It was then that Hashirama noticed that many had slipped past him, heading right for the walls of the monastery. Some monks had gone down to meet them and were suffering terribly.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Swamp!"

The ground underneath those near the temple suddenly melted away, giving away go a small pond of mud, entrapping the enemy ninja for a moment's notice. That was enough for the monks to begin to incinerate them.

"Focus here!" Idate demanded as suddenly rushed into the fray.

They clashed swords, and Hashirama's fingers shook with an electrical impulse. Idate's sword was no mere sword; the blade glowed a brilliant gold and seemed to be formed of pure electricity. They struggled for a moment, before separating.

"The Sword of the Thunder God," Idate said, "Raijin! Its power is without equal!"

They clashed again, and again. The Kusanagi shrugged off the blows of the lightning sword, but Hashirama's hands began to feel numb from the electrical shocks. The enemy's numbers had dwindled, but if he could not kill this man soon and move on to kill the rest, the temple would be over run.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Spears!"

The spears chased hungrily after Idate, who barely managed to save himself with his Raijin's cutting capacity. But before he knew it, Hashirama had descended upon him. With a single, fluid, stroke Hashirama removed Idate's hand at the wrist. Blood erupted like a fountain from the wound as the sword and still gripping hand were sent sailing into the air. Hashirama kicked Idate in one of the knees, making him collapse before raising his sword for the final blow.

A round of arrows suddenly erupted towards him. Hashirama leaped back, avoiding all but one that nicked him in the cheek. Several of enemy ninjas surrounded him as the blood dripped down his cheek. They smartly kept their distance from him. Idate, missing a hand and with one of his knees dislocated, was raised to his feet by his grunts.

"You can't beat me," Hashirama told them. "Flee now, and preserve your lives for another day."

"Fool!" Idate shouted. "We've already beaten you!"

The mass rushed him again, and Hashirama moved to cut them all down down. Immediately, the Senju's vision blurred. The dozens of enemy ninja all melded into a single shape, and his attempts at attack failed horribly as he missed every time. Within moments of his lost vision, he felt prickles like lightning stabbing into his skin and his limbs go numb with the effort of movement.

"The Morino clan," he heard, "are the masters of poison."

Hashirama's gap in skill kept him alive. The enemy seemed to move from place to place instantaneously. Soon, the Kusanagi was knocked from his grip, and he fought off their advances with his bare fists. Dozens of kunai were embedded into his arms and legs; they injected more of the venom into his body until he could do nothing but fall to his knees.

"Earth Style: M-mud r-river!"

Hashirama's chakra felt distant to him, but he managed to call upon it. The ground underneath him turned to mud and carried him with velocity back to the temple. He crashed into the outer walls and sat facing the open field and the encroaching enemy. Within seconds, one of them had reached him and raised their kunai to end his life.

"K-Kusanagi: Long Sword of the S-sky!"

The Kusanagi, from its place among the sea of dead, rose into the air while glowing with an ethereal blue aura. It zipped past the advancing enemy and impaled the man bearing over Hashirama clean through the heart. With the last of his energy, Hashirama made a few hand seals.

"Earth Style: Earth F-Flow Dome!"

Two half domes of solid earth on either side of the temple rose and connected in the sky. The earthen interior knew no light save for the candles that the monks soon lit. Mottomo and Nezumi found Hashirama still by the wall. He was unconscious and seemed to be slipping away from their plane of existence. They could hear the sound of enemy ninja trying to break through from outside the wall. Their slaughter seemed to be imminent.

They lifted Hashirama from the ground and retrieved his sword. Laboriously, they dislodged the various projectile weapons that had sunk into his skin. They wrapped the wounds.

"These wounds aren't that deep," a medical monk said. "Not deep enough to knock such a powerful man unconscious. He's been stricken with some poison?"

"Yes," Mottomo agreed, "it must be. He was handling all of them just fine by himself … such power. But no single power can defeat an entire group."

"More than a group," Musei, scarred from the battle, said. "An entire clan. We've captured one of them. Would you like to initiate the interrogation, sir?"

Musei led Nezumi and Mottomo to the captured Morino ninja. He was heavily burned, yet conscious, and eyed them spitefully. He moved to attack them, but a spear kept at his throat kept him down on his knees.

"What do you want with this temple?" Mottomo asked.

"What was stolen!" the man hissed. "But nothing will spare you now. Our leader will break through this wall. All of you will be slaughtered for the disgrace brought up upon the Morino clan!"

"We've stolen nothing from you!" Musei proclaimed.

"Play stupid all you want," the assassin said, "but once Idate has broken down those walls, he'll pry the truth from your cold carcasses." He then proceeded to spit at their feet. The monk guarding him thrust the spear through his neck and let his body fall limp to the ground.

"Prepare fortifications," Mottomo said. "We haven't much time. This barrier is Earth based, and the sword of their leader is Lightning based … eventually, it will break through. We are outnumbered, and surely outmatched without Hashirama to back us up." By this time, the remaining monks had gathered. "My sons, this is a test of our faith. So … will we stay and fight, or will we escape?"

"Sir …" Nezumi said, "I suggest that we leave, or else we'll die here."

"Coward!" Musei said. "Death is but sweet bliss from the hell of life! The Younger Brother conquered hell fire, all for the sake of that which was precious to him. I'll gladly die before this temple falls!"

It then became a battle of ideologies.

"We are the last disciples of the Younger Brother," Nezumi said. "This temple is but a housing place. If we all die, then the beliefs of the Younger Brother die with us. Only trash would risk the principles of our founder just to enjoy some kind of honorable death. We are not samurai! It is our duty to preserve, not to die foolishly!"

"I'll be trash then!" Musei said. "For only someone worse than trash would be willing to carry on the ideologies of the Younger Brother, while having rejected them as truths. The Will of Fire demands that we stand and fight for that which is precious to us, even if we are burned in the process. Brothers, who among you will stand with me?!"

There was a healthy split. Mottomo watched his disciples verbally abuse each other. Those with Nezumi called the others fools, while Musei's followers relished in calling those with Nezumi cowards and nonbelievers. Undoubtedly, Mottomo thought, there were merits to both sides.

"When the wall crumbles," Mottomo said, gaining their attention, "those who wish to flee, may flee. Those who wish to fight, will fight."

"And you, master?" Nezumi asked.

"I will fight," Mottomo said, smiling.

Nezumi narrowed his eyes in anger, looking away. Not a single person would follow him now. None of them could live with the shame of leaving their beloved master to die as they fled into the foliage. For a moment, he thought he would not able to either. But, suddenly he felt a scroll shift underneath his robes. It was the object of battle; a scroll of the Morino clan which contained details of concocting their most powerful poison. Nezumi almost frothed at the mouth at the thought of the immense riches he would get from selling the scroll to the Morino clan's enemies.

Nezumi swallowed hungrily at the thought; he would be set for a life of comfort, woman and alcohol.

With that in mind, Nezumi feigned resignation to their suicidal last stand. He traced his escape route in his mind, and then joined the rest of the monks as they prepared. They placed their dead in an area to await burning; burning them now would only suffocate them with the smell of death. They put the dead Morino clan members in front of the temple, stacking them as to psychologically affect their enemy. They hid explosives inside the bodies that would trigger once heated.

They assumed it was night time; the sounds of men clashing against their earthen defense was somewhat muffled. Now, all they heard was someone hacking away at a single spot with the Raijin sword.

Hashirama, for the most part, understood where he was and what was happening. Whatever poison had afflicted him was devastating. It was attacking his chakra system, and thus with every passing moment more of his chakra was tainted, and he felt more pain envelop his body. His attempts at expelling it were futile. His struggles only weakened his body and allowed the poison to spread quicker through his system.

Eventually, his chakra became but a speck in the distance; he was sure now that he was going to die.

Unable to move, Hashirama allowed his mind to roam.

First he thought of himself, and all the things that dying meant for him. His dreams would dry up like raisins on dry, hot land. He would never again get to feel the universe, only to be a part of it. He would never again see a beautiful woman, or feel the cool caress of the winds, or the warm touch of the sun at a dawn.

Second, he thought of his brother at home. Already, Tobirama had been so heavily affected by death. Hashirama could only imagine how the consecutive deaths of his father, lover and then mother had left him … would the death of his brother be the tipping point into insanity? Could Tobirama, who dreamed of stabilized countries and a deathless nation, continue to follow his dream without a friend to back him, and assure him.

Third, he thought of the children beneath the mountain now. Like little monkeys they swung through the trees and the grass without a care. He had hoped that under his guidance, they would become legends in their own right. Now, with no one to watch over them, he wondered if they would even survive the years to come. Would they ever be given the chance to grow old and die protecting that which they loved?

Fourthly, and finally … Hashirama saw a vision of a future god among men. The poison seemed to leap him into a far away time. He saw young man of a silky complexion and hair so golden it looked to be kissed every morning by the sun. The young figure pierced into Hashirama with eyes that reflected the raging ocean and peaceful skies. That golden god whispered beautiful images in Hashirama's ear; he promised Hashirama of a time when the people beneath the mountain ate every day, and never feared that monstrous men would slaughter them.

It all came with one condition; that he survive this defeat.

Hashirama roved the vastness of his imagination for an answer; he knew he had to find an answer because if he could not, then the young god who promised the people heaven would never come to be. When he could find no answer within him, he searched without. And there Hashirama felt a well of energy that surrounded him in all directions.

Where once he might have just tickled it, this time he reached out and seized it with all of his might. The energy responded immediately. It lurched into his body like an injection. The energy rushed through the gates of his chakra and grabbed a hold of him just as he had done to it. An ocean of green energy mingled naturally with his blue chakra and something new was born. It was like pure light … the very essence of life brewed in his belly and boiled over. The poison inside him was obliterated, and his wounds hissed closed.

The new life energy escaped his body and mingled into the ground around him. Immediately, the earth was uprooted as a hundred years worth of environmental evolution was cycled through in but a few seconds. Tree trunks and leaves erupted from the ground, creating a dense jungle that enveloped the temple. At its highest, one of the trees reached the top of the earth dome and easily punctured through it.

Hashirama opened his eyes as he felt the dawn sun rays kiss his skin. There he saw the golden sun, the blue sky and a bright future to come.

**Chapter Edited**


	3. Chapter 3

******A Thousand Hands**

******Summary****: **The rise and fall of the man who moved nations; Senju Hashirama.

******Disclaimer: ****Naruto Series is not mine**

**Author Speaking ...**

Shortest chapter yet, but more to come soon. Read, review and enjoy!

******Arc One****: **The Mountain Top

**Chapter 3**

"_The morning glories_

_bloom, securing the gate_

_in the old fence"_

_- Matsuo Basho_

Hashirama felt bigger than he was; it was glorious.

He knew that he stood no taller than the day before this one, but at this moment his head seemed to scrape the morning sky. The trees that he had inadvertently created continued to bloom until finally he managed to work up the courage to tell them to stop. The earth dome that had stood only moments before crumbled beneath neglect like an old fence.

No one across their human chessboard dared to move. The monks sat fearfully within the foliage for none of them could imagine where this forest had suddenly sprouted from. The Morino clan, in the open field, shifted nervously in fear of this technique that had never been witnessed.

Hashirama was frozen in awe of himself; the trees stood like a vanguard and secured the gates.

"Kill them!" a Morino voice shouted.

Hashirama moved without moving. At his sudden whim, the forest sprung into action. As the Morino soldiers rushed in to complete their slaughter, they were met with a world of moving branches and hostile trunks. The trees extended to great lengths to capture those enemies who were weak. Those who were strong enough to avoid capture where mercilessly crushed beneath the weight of the behemoth trunks.

Hashirama stood motionless; it was like having a thousand hands.

Idate suddenly rushed from the foliage with the Raijin sword in his still attached hand. Hashirama was so mesmerized by his new abilities that he was nearly caught off guard. A tree root erupted from the ground and encircled Idate like an anaconda. It squeezed him so hard that he dropped his sword which became nothing more than a handle.

Within just a few moments, the Morino clan was silenced; they were all either dead or entrapped within Hashirama's great wooden web.

"Return it!" Idate said, his face red from lack of circulation.

"I gave you one chance," Hashirama said, "but, I am not beyond giving another. Leave now, and I'll spare your clan!"

"Not until the scroll has been returned to us!" Idate said. "We'll die now rather than allow the secrets of our clan to be divulged!"

Hashirama didn't have time to question him, because suddenly Musei and other monks came carrying a beaten Nezumi in their arms. Musei removed a scroll from Nezumi's garb and rolled it gently to Hashirama's feet. A sense of great disgust bubbled in Hashirama's stomach as he realized what had happened. He picked up the scroll and brought it to Idate's face.

"Might this be that scroll?" Hashirama asked.

"Yes, give it to me!" Idate said. "That scroll contains the secret for the Morino clan's greatest poison … the very poison that almost defeated you. That coward monk, who stayed with us under under our hospitality, ripped it from my mother's hands and fled here. When my assassins could not capture him before his holing up in this temple, I ordered the entire clan to come and retrieve it!"

"Nezumi, you fool!" Mottomo raged. "Do you see what destruction you have brought upon us? I'll kill you where you stand!"

Hashirama managed to calm the situation, forcefully. He released the Morino clan just outside the limits of his world of trees. They sat on their knees behind Idate as he retrieved the scroll. The monks stood behind Hashirama with Nezumi kept to his knees by their pointed spears.

"What is your name?" Idate asked.

"Senju Hashirama."

"Hashirama …" Idate repeated. "Of the Senju clan. We will proclaim your might to all in this country that will hear us!" Idate suddenly handed Hashirama the handle of the Raijin sword. "In exchange for our sacred scroll, and to show our loyalty born on this battlefield to you, we give you the Sword of the Thunder God, which was no match for you."

Idate signaled his people to stand. Before they could leave, however, Mottomo stepped to the forefront and his monks threw the bound and gagged Nezumi to Idate's feet.

"And to you, as an apology, our Temple gives you this piece of scum," Mottomo said coldly.

"But he'll be tortured!" Hashirama said.

"Will you take him in then?" Mottomo asked. "I refuse to let him roam freely with such a despicable will and the skills of slaughter we taught him here."

Hashirama imagined for a moment that he would take Nezumi in, rather then subject him to whatever horrendous torture awaited him at the hands of Morino clan. But he knew he would not risk his village beneath the mountain by letting such scum go there. Freedom was even less of a choice; with his ninja abilities Nezumi would do nothing more than pilfer villages and rape women.

He turned a blind eye as they carried Nezumi away and vanished into the horizon.

"Your temple," Hashirama said, looking at the mass of trees still in his control. "I'm sorry … but it seems that I've destroyed it beyond repair!"

"Hardly!" Mottomo said, assuring him. "You could have destroyed a thousand temples, and you would still be in our favor. What matters is that you have saved our lives … our ideology shall now live long because of your heroic efforts. Let us celebrate!"

And so they did, as much as they could. Hashirama managed to get the forest to recede, though it fought him at his first mentioning it. Mottomo and his monks fed Hashirama well, and then they gave him thirty-thousand ryu for his services, which was twice as much as the fifteen thousand that Nezumi had offered him. They urged him to stay one more night, but he kindly refused. Hashirama could now only think about his brother back home and the mountain top.

Hashirama strapped the Kusanagi and Raijin to his hips, and he began his journey home.

The monks had kindly given him a map with his trail home outlined, but he did not use it. Rather, Hashirama used his new connection with the world around him to plot his course. After an hour of travel he finally pin-pointed his brother's chakra; it was very distant, at least half a day away if he kept his steady pace through the country side.

On his way home, Hashirama stopped briefly in Tanzaku Gai to purchase some ramen and mushroom soup, something he had been craving since leaving his village beneath the mountain. There, he saw an argument between a married couple nearly erupt into violence. It was stopped short of becoming physical only by one of them deciding to simply ask a question.

_'So simple!'_ Hashirama had thought. He imagined if everyone could approach conflict so diplomatically, then they would live in a much gentler world. If Idate and his Morino clan assassins had simply asked for their sacred scroll back instead of attacking, then many lives would have been spared from that senseless violence.

But of course, the fight between the wife and husband had been but a diamond in a sea of coal. On his journey home, in the span of just half a day, Hashirama aged considerably with the sight of his deteriorated country. Entire villages lay abandoned as they had been pillaged by roaming bandits. Men, woman and children alike at times lined the streets of broken towns; their entire livelihoods had been robbed from them by a passerby with the ability to ignite homes, or cut through metal armor.

The devastation was highlighted to Hashirama when he came to a village with no one working in the rice paddies. It was a beautiful day for the sun was shining brightly but was thankfully kept at bay by a generously cool lick of wind. The village itself was empty as everyone seemed to be cooped up in their homes; he could sense them inside the houses cowering at the sight of him. Finally, Hashirama found a woman sitting near rubble.

"Why isn't anyone farming?" he asked her.

The woman gave him a cold glare; she understood immediately from the swords at his hips that he was a ninja.

"Because of monsters like you!" she said, spraying saliva on his chest. "Whenever we farm, bandits come through here with their swords and shurikens in hand. They take our food, burn our homes and kill our husbands and sons … better to starve than to-"

As she continued, Hashirama understood at that moment that bandits had done much more than just burn her home and take her food. He almost felt sorrow for her … almost. Hashirama came to the sudden realization that he was as desensitized to the violence plaguing the world as any. It filled him with guilt. This woman had once been a mother, but now she was alone and homeless. He imagined for a moment his own mother's heartbreak had he and Tobirama been killed in her defense.

With that mind, Hashirama called once more upon the universe. Immediately he created his 'life chakra' and pumped it back into the earth. This time, he controlled it. A sweat rose on his brow with the effort of refining the power down to just wood. He was successful. Wood emerged from the ground where the woman's home had once been. It formed together and within seconds there stood a small home, large enough for a small family.

The woman stopped her rant and stared in silent awe at him and his creation. Hashirama pushed the home to make sure it was sturdy.

"Tell the people of this village," Hashirama said, "to never abandon hope. One day, a change will sweep this country. Until then …"

Hashirama leaped away from the village; he unsure what he had just promised her. When he reached his mountain, with his village on the other side, Hashirama was still unsure what he had promised. After all, a Fire Country without violence was unheard of. In this day and age, where ninja ruled, the only truths were warfare and death.

Hashirama climbed to the top of the mountain, and smiled as beneath he saw his tiny village with its little dots roaming about to fulfill their days purpose. The people here rarely feared of being eradicated, and ate well compared to the rest of the country. All his life, Hashirama had pondered the question of how he could make it safer beneath this mountain, but now peaked into his mind the idea of how he could spread the standard of living here throughout the country.

Once reaching the village, Hashirama was immediately bombarded with greetings.

"Welcome back, Hashirama!"

"We've missed you, Hashirama!"

The ruckus brought Chuuko from his tiny home. He hugged Hashirama.

"Are you well?" Chuuko asked. "Did you succeed on your mission?"

"Greatly," Hashirama said, handing him the bag of thirty-thousand ryu he had received. "I received twice what I was promised."

"Excellent!" Chuuko proclaimed, which gathered many villages. "Spread the word, Hashirama has returned and has brought us ample savings! The people of this village will live well this winter! In celebration, we will have a feast in the village center tonight!"

Filled with immense joy, Hashirama made his way home. Tobirama, having heard the news, met him halfway. They hugged and silently made their way home. There Tobirama prepared him a meal of fine deer, given to them by the Nara clan, and brewed them both some tea.

"So, the prodigal son has returned," Tobirama said, before smiling. "Anything interesting happen?"

Hashirama told him every minute detail of the story. Tobirama had found it particularly hilarious that he had nearly been killed by the Morino clan, and did not seem to fully understand what Hashirama meant when he said:

"I developed a Wood Release."

"Wood Release?" Tobirama asked. "You created Wood? … Well, that isn't so special … I create wood every morning."

Tobirama laughed uproariously at his own crude humor, and Hashirama tried to hide his growing snicker.

"Anything happen in the village?" Hashirama asked.

Tobirama told him the morbid story of the two bandits who had managed to sneak into the outskirts of the village under the disguise of being villagers themselves. Hashirama was particularly saddened to hear that the woman who had been violated had killed herself just two days earlier; with her son dead and her prospects of remarriage gone, she had seen no light at the end of her tunnel. Tobirama brightened the mood up with tales of his own new jutsu discoveries.

"Recently," Tobirama said, "I delved into the idea of Space-Time Ninjutsu."

"Space-Time?" Hashirama asked.

"Yes," Tobirama nodded. "The two bandits I killed were both proficient with summoning techniques. That made me very curious; after all, summoning implies crossing huge distances instantaneously. If animals can be summoned with contracts, why can't other things? In fact, why can't things be reverse summoned?"

"Have you gained any ground with these Space-Time techniques?"

"None," Tobirama lied, smiling.

Before they left to meet the villagers for the feast, Hashirama gave Tobirama the Raijin.

"Its just a handle? How'd it give you such troub-"

A golden light erupted from the handle and formed an electric blade. Tobirama barely avoided stabbing himself right through the throat in the midst of his surprise, but he still singed the fringes of his hair. He angrily threw the blade at Hashirama's laughing form, but without a chakra source to give it life, the blade receded immediately.

"You'll regret that one," Tobirama said, retrieving his new weapon.

At sundown they joined the villagers in the village square. Every family came, and all of them carried some dish of their choosing. In the center of the square, above a pile of unlit lumber, were two sacrificial goats stripped of their skin and other inedible parts, given to them by a rather generous Chuuko. Once the sun was gone and the sky was black, the party began.

They laughed, told stories, and relived entire childhoods around the bright fire. Eventually, the folk instruments were retrieved and they began to sing and dance. It was a warm night with a cool breeze that made leaves float in the wind and dance with them. Tobirama was in the midst of the celebration; he danced with everyone young and old. Hashirama would indulge any young lass brave enough to approach him, but mostly, he just watched and smiled.

When the goats were finally done roasting, Chuuko led them in prayer and they evenly divided the food between the people. Hashirama, during the silence of the prayer, wondered if the devastated mother he had met earlier in his travels was also getting ready to eat. His heart sunk like a stone when he rationalized that she probably was not.

"Hashirama! Tobirama!" a voice shouted from the distance.

The brothers rose to meet a figure sprinting at them. The figure, having reached them, stopped to regain his breath as if he had never done hard running before. They recognized him immediately as Nara Nodoka, the husband of Peko, and co-leader of the Nara clan.

"Breath, Nodoka," Hashirama demanded. "What is it?"

"We're under attack!" he said. "The Akimichi clan is attacking us!"

**Chapter Edited**


	4. Chapter 4

******A Thousand Hands**

******Summary****: **The rise and fall of the man who moved nations; Senju Hashirama.

******Disclaimer: ****Naruto Series is not mine**

**Arc Two: **Clenched Fists, Open Palms

**Chapter Four**

"_Clouds come from time to time -_

_and give men a chance to rest_

_from looking at the moon."_

_- Matsuo Basho_

"The Akimichi?" Hashirama repeated questioningly.

Nodoka's news came to the village people like clouds on a their clear autumn night; it blocked the radiant moon and reminded them exactly what country they lived; in that moment their dancing and singing almost seemed perverse and wrong. A panic almost set in among the people, but Tobirama moved quickly to order them to their homes as Hashirama pulled Nodoka away from the village people.

The sight of him would scare them. His nose was broken, and he was bleeding from the lips.

"Nodoka breath," Hashirama said. "Breath I said! Now, tell me what happened?"

"The Akimichi," Nodoka began to through gasps of air, "at twilight, they launched an attack on us. They're just outside the Nara Clan Forest, and many more of them are coming."

"Why would the Akimichi clan suddenly attack you?" Tobirama asked. "They're a warrior clan, but they've never attacked a nearby clan so aggressively."

"We'll just have to find out," Hashirama said.

Hashirama grabbed Nodoka by the collar and leaped into the foliage with Tobirama at his heels. The trip was hampered by Nodoka, whose weak form could not handle the speed of their travel.

Soon the minor foliage and farm land that surrounded the village beneath the mountain gave way to a massive forest of trees that seemed to scrape the sky, and were bound so tightly together that they formed a wall. Normally, entrance into the Nara's Sacred Forest was forbidden, but the enemy was on the other side of forest so Nodoka gave them no complaints.

Hashirama stretched his senses and immediately felt an immense amount of energy within the forest. For a moment, he hungered to reach out and consume that power, but he managed to drown out the sound of his lusting and focus on chakra signatures. He immediately felt the weak Nara Clan in the distance. Moving amongst them were blobs of overblown chakra signatures belonging to the Akimichi clan members.

Within the roar of oceans of chakras, Hashirama also spotted the signature that was carefully trailing them.

Hashirama gave Tobirama a nod, and within moments Tobirama had caught the scent of their would be saboteur. Tobirama took a single leap from a tree branch and vanished into the foliage. He spotted their follower before they could spot him.

Tobirama lunged at the black clad figure from above, just as the would be assassin launched a series of kunai towards Hashirama and Nodoka. The assassin was surprisingly nimble, and he managed to force Tobirama into a small tussle in the trees. Within moments, Tobirama shattered his jaw and sent him sailing towards the hard forest floor.

Tobirama grabbed the hilt of the Raijin, figuring there was no better time to test its power. He managed to control his chakra enough to make decent katana. He and the assassin met in clash of steel versus lightening turned solid. The Raijin proved more than a match for the steel, and Tobirama removed the assassin's arm at the shoulder before mercilessly piercing him through the heart.

Moments later, Hashirama and Nodoka landed beside him.

"An Akimichi?" Nodoka asked.

"No," Tobirama assured him. "Akimichi are heavy weight fighters … this guy couldn't weigh more than me. The Akimichi also wear samurai-like armor, not assassins garb." He stripped the cloth from the ninja's face and checked his neck and shoulders for signs. "No tattoos marking him as part of a clan. Could he just be a random assassin looking for a bounty?"

"It's possible," Hashirama said. "But its also possible that someone was trying to stop Nodoka from getting help, and when they failed, they tried to make sure that the help never arrived. Quickly, let's move!"

They found the majority of the Nara Clan just on the outskirts of the Sacred Forest. Those who were brave enough had gone out to face the Akimichi clan in an open field outside the thick forest. The rest hid within the foliage and threw weaponry at any passer by.

"Where is Peko?" Tobirama asked a bleeding Nara.

"She's leading the fight," he gasped.

"Nodoka," Hashirama said, "stay here. Find all of your Nara clan members inside this forest and concentrate them two hundred meters south of this location. We'll meet you there."

Hashirama hastily followed after his brother, who had already made his way to the battlefield. It resembled more of a killing field when Hashirama saw it. Bodies of Nara clan members were sprawled all across the field. They were accompanied the occasional Akimichi corpse taking up trice the space of a Nara one. Something like thirty Nara moved nimbly about the field, fighting helplessly against half as many Akimichi.

The Akimichi were a warrior clan; their techniques allowed them to manipulate the size of their bodies. The Nara were merely healers, and thus they could do nothing but flee.

Tobirama joined the fray immediately. Within seconds of his arrival the Raijin had once again tasted sweet flesh and tangy blood. The Nara saw him as an angel. They gladly backed away from the fighting, and soon a good chunk of the Akimichi attention was turned to Tobirama. Three of the Akimichis descended upon him almost immediately.

"Water Style: Rising Water Torrent!"

Tobirama raised his hand and water was suddenly conjured from thin air. It rose in various waves in a straight line in front of him. Two of the Akimichi were caught within the blast and launched cleanly into the air. They landed off in the distance and did not move again.

"Water style jutsu without a source?!" the third said, gawking. "Impossible! No matter … Human Bullet Tank!"

The Akimichi's body inflated to massive proportions. The behemoth began to rotate like a kicked ball and launched forward with such force that the ground beneath him was torn asunder. Tobirama did not need to move, as suddenly a ramp of earth rose right in front of him. The Akimichi rolled right over it and could not maintain his spinning motion with no ground to move on. Hashirama met the fat man in mid air and slew him with a single stroke of the Kusanagi.

"Tobirama! Hashirama!" Peko said, rushing to their side, her face bleeding and bruised. "Thank goodness you've come. We were going to be overwhelmed."

"Why are they attacking?" Hashirama asked.

"It came without warning," Peko told him. "We did nothing to provoke it."

"In that case …" Tobirama said, and then rushed to rescue more of the Nara.

"Gather your clansmen," Hashirama said. "Go two hundred meters inside the forest and you'll meet Nodoka and the others. We'll meet you there. Go!"

Hashirama grabbed her by the collar and chucked her away. It saved her from the fate of being crushed beneath the giant arm of an Akimichi. Several of them had surrounded Hashirama. Their bodies were normal size, but their hands had grown to immense proportions. They balled their giant fists and prepared to attack.

"Leave peacefully," Hashirama said, "and you won't be harmed."

"Scum!" the leader among them said. "The Nara clan will be obliterated … and so too will you if you stand in our way."

Hashirama stabbed the Kusanagi into the ground.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Spears!"

Hashirama summoned the spears around him in a circle. The sudden razing of the earth caught the Akimichi off guard and forced many of them backwards.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Projectiles!"

The spears uprooted from their base and flew like kunai towards the surrounding Akimichi. One of them was killed by it, but the rest batted the spears of out of the sky like flies and proceeded to go on the offensive. Hashirama moved nimbly between the giant fists, attacking whenever he saw an opening. It became more difficult with every passing second to be offensive as they began to surround him. Soon, he could do nothing but dodge.

"Hashirama," Tobirama said when they found themselves back to back, "ten of them left, but there are more coming aren't there? We might be overwhelmed."

"We will be," Hashirama said. "We can handle these ten … but many more are on the way. It feels like the entire clan is making its way here." By now the remaining Akimichi had surrounded them and enlarged for their bullet tank technique. "Let's clear the field and head to the forest."

"Human Bullet Tanks!"

The human boulders came hurtling at them from all directions. The brothers worked through hand seals in tandem.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Trap!"

"Water Style: Water Encampment Wall!"

A dome of earth grew from the earth behind the approaching Akimichi, surrounding them on all sides with spiked walls but leaving the space above the brothers clear. Tobirama gathered the water particles in the air and multiplied them in a moment to create a massive explosion of water that surrounded the brothers. The exploding water clashed with the Akimichi tanks for supremacy. With a single war cry Tobirama increased the strength of his technique.

The Akimichi were in that moment overwhelmed and sent flying back into the spiked walls behind them. They were impaled and died instantly.

"Let's retreat, we have some time before the others arrive," Hashirama said.

They decided to leave the battlefield as it was and rushed to where they had ordered the Nara to gather. The entire clan was waiting there, not just the fighters they had seen, but everyone. Those who could were tending to the injured, while others were gathering the deer and making sure they too had not been harmed by the disturbance.

"Peko," Tobirama said, "how many are here?"

"The whole clan," Peko said, "almost two hundred of us. Are we safe now? Is it over?"

"No," Hashirama said. "The current threat has been averted … but more Akimichi are coming. I sense almost seventy of them."

"You can sense them?" she asked.

"Do you have any idea why they're attacking?" Tobirama asked.

"It has to be for the forest," Peko said. "Predictions say that this winter will be a harsh one … Fire Country might even see snow this year. The Akimichi take on ninja duties as well as farm. Harvest was bad for everyone this year, and ninja activity was severely slowed by the sudden end of the Uchiha-Fuuma conflict. Surely, they're running low on money and supplies. This forest, it provides ample food and shelter for harsh winters. They've come for it."

"Makes sense," Tobirama said to his brother.

"Then we'll do what we can to protect it," Hashirama said. "The Akimichi will be angry to see their slain brothers in that field … they might choose to attack in this dead night. Seventy might be too much even for us, but with the darkness and cover, we could win by dawn. Does your clan know any Ninjutsu?"

"We have one," she said. "The Shadow Imitation technique. It is a technique that allows us to merge shadows with others. Once the shadows are merged, the movements of the user are forced on whoever is caught. It's used mostly for surgeries that require the patient to be still, and for capturing stray deer. Please, I hope you don't expect us to do battle. Can't you handle it?"

"Our agreement was to protect your from simple banditry," Hashirama said, "not to fight entire wars on your behalf."

"But please," Peko pleaded. "Some of us are willing to fight, but we are not a warrior clan. We don't stand a chance against their strength."

"Oh, Pekopeko," Tobirama teased her, smirking, "strength is only a small part of battle. The Nara Clan would do well to remember that brains will always defeat brawn."

"You don't understand," she continued. "The Shadow Imitation technique can only be used when there is light for shadows. The moon is bright, but it's covered by clouds."

"Then we'll make light," Hashirama said. "Gather those who are willing to fight. We'll do what we can to repel the oncoming Akimichi."

The plan they devised was simple enough. Hashirama would quarantine certain sections of trees near where they suspected the Akimichis would enter through with his Earth Style techniques. Those trees would be set on fire, thus providing light. Twenty Nara men and five Nara woman, including Peko, volunteered to join the battle. Peko still voiced her concerns.

"The technique has its weaknesses," she said as an after thought. "If the strength of the victim is too great, then they can break the bind."

"Doesn't matter," Tobirama assured her. "A momentary pause will be more than enough. A split second can make the difference between life and death in any battle. Just focus: mind, body, technique, and victory is ours."

Hashirama soon realized that the Akimichi had not been enraged enough to forget basic strategy. There was a period of silence and peace. Hashirama laid his head against a tree and gazed at the moon; it was particularly radiant this night.

"Can you believe it?" Hashirama asked his brother, not far off. "Can you believe that under this very moon we danced and sang?"

"Yes," Tobirama said, "and as we danced, hundreds of battles were fought in the world. Like you always say, 'whenever you are, there is war'."

"Maybe not so," Hashirama said. "I had a dream …" he trailed off, feeling almost foolish. "I had a dream that one day there would be none. When I was at the Fire Monastery, as I was about to die, I had a dream that you and I would create a place where people could dance and sing every day."

"It sounds beautiful," Tobirama said, "but for now, we have to focus on the task at hand."

Just as a thick field of clouds came to block Hashirama's vision of the moon, so came his senses telling him that the Akimichi Clan had begun its offensive. He stopped only for a brief moment to think about the peace he had envisioned before handing orders to his team of assassins. The Akimichi were entering three pronged, like a trident; they had been wise enough to avoid entering en mass, which would have had them slaughtered. Hashirama's group took the lead to meet the point of the trident, and Tobirama's group followed close behind to break off and attack the fastest coming Akimichi group.

The Nara lit the quarantined trees with exploding tags, and suddenly the hellish war zone was born. The orange fire illuminated the faces of the large Akimichis, who barely had a chance to see their enemies before being caught in the Nara clan's collective cry:

"Shadow Imitation Technique!"

The shadows of the Nara clan members extended without limit and linked to those of the Akimichi; those strong enough linked to more than one. The distraction made, Hashirama drew his Kusanagi and whispered a silent prayer before proceeding to mow the Akimichi down. He steeled his gut and scattered their souls into the fire. This continued until finally the Akimichi broke free and retaliated.

"Partial Multi-Size Technique!" an Akimichi yelled over the crackling fire. His hands became the size of horses and he shattered the power of the Shadow Imitation technique. He reached out and swatted away many of the Nara, breaking their grip on the Akimichi. Hashirama prepared to aid the Nara's retreat, but felt like a fool to consider the Nara clan so spineless.

The Nara clan, a clan of nurses, doctors and hunters, stood their ground. Their eyes become cold metal, they straightened their backs, and they clenched their fists. Without thinking Hashirama continued his assault. The Kusanagi and his Earth Style techniques tore through the lines as the Nara peppered the Akimichi with kunai and binding techniques.

Hashirama realized that he had been wrong before; there would not always be war, but there would always be those willing to fight for what was precious to them.

Eventually the fighting ground to a stalemate. Hashirama and his Nara compatriots had lost the element of surprise, and the Akimichi could not maneuver well enough in the thick forest to mount a worthy counter attack. The fighting soon came down to throwing long range weapons, and the occasional mean words. Hashirama stretched his senses; neither he nor Tobirama had made a big enough dent in the Akimichi forces to make a difference, and naturally even more were coming.

The darkness was fading, and soon it would be dawn.

"Retreat," Hashirama said. "Find your brothers and sisters. Tell them we're retreating to camp."

Tobirama had the same idea and they all met up back at camp. In total ten of the twenty five Nara who had volunteered had died in the fight, while the rest of them looked beaten but determined. The look of determination in their eyes was enough to bring a smile to Hashirama's face.

"The sun will rise in less than an hour," Hashirama said to Peko and those listening. "More Akimichi are coming; their clan is large and almost all the men are warriors. With the daylight, they would overwhelm us and kill you all. You must retreat out of the forest, and to our village."

"No!" Peko said. "We won't abandon this forest. Our ancestors have lived here for centuries. We won't let anyone have it!"

"Peko, look around you," Tobirama said in reference to hundreds of woman and children. "Your clan isn't built for warfare. If you insist on fighting, everyone here will die. Yes, the forest is important, but, the people who live in it matter more. We have to retreat now so that the Nara may live to fight another day."

It took much coercion to get the clan to agree. The older men and woman in the crowd had claimed that death would have been preferable to abandoning their ancestral home, but promises of safety for their children and future progeny was eventually enough to persuade them. Just as the sky started to turn a dull gray and a sleek sheet of dew began to coat the trees, the Senju brothers began to lead the Nara Clan away from their forest.

The exodus was slow and painstaking. Many of the Nara had been injured in the initial assault, and some where simply too old or young to keep up with high speed movements. The brothers employed liberal use of Earth and Water Clones to patrol the edges of the large group. By the time the sky was colorful, they had ushered the Nara clan through the rudimentary wooden gate that divided the main village from the farm land. Most of the villagers stayed in their homes, but some came out angrily to meet the guests.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Chuuko demanded. "Who are these people?"

"The Nara Clan," Tobirama said, letting Hashirama deal with the exhausted Nara clan. "We had no choice but to bring them here. They were outnumbered and would soon have been slaughtered."

"A-aren't you putting us in danger?" Chuuko asked. "Our treaty says that you two defend them, not bring them to our doorstep with their enemies trailing behind!"

"Their enemies won't come here," Tobirama said. "They were after the Nara's Sacred Forest. They will not pursuit."

"Don't be so sure," Hashirama said, his face contorting in concern. "The Akimichi … they just bypassed the entire forest and are making their way here!"

"You're kidding!" Tobirama said. "They're coming to the village?"

"So, they're not after the Sacred Forest." Hashirama said with narrowed eyes. "They're after the Nara Clan."

**Chapter Edited**


	5. Chapter 5

******A Thousand Hands**

******Summary****: **The rise and fall of the man who moved nations; Senju Hashirama.

******Disclaimer: ****Naruto Series is not mine**

**Arc Two: **Clenched Fists, Open Palms

**Chapter Five**

"_Cold first winter rain …_

_poor monkey,_

_you too could use_

_A little woven cape"_

_- Matsuo Basho_

The sun had almost reached its golden pedestal in the sky when the Akimichi clan arrived before the rudimentary earthen wall that Hashirama had erected in front of the village. The village people and the Nara clan cowered behind the Senju brothers as the two spoke in hushed voices. There were so many things they had not considered, and so many things they now had to consider.

"Should we evacuate?" Tobirama asked.

"It's too late for that," Hashirama said. "The village people can't move fast enough to avoid being detected. But we can't fight them all."

"Then we're trapped like dogs?" Tobirama asked. "Your new technique … the Wood Style one, can it beat them all?"

"I'm not sure," Hashirama said, "but it might not be an option. The forest I created before was nowhere near the size I would need to suppress the Akimichi clan, and I hardly have the control I need."

A giant face suddenly emerged from behind the stone wall. Within a few seconds a single Akimichi expanded his body such that his entire upper body could be seen by the villagers. Villagers and Nara clan members shrieked in unison at the sight of the monster. Hashirama and Tobirama leaped atop the stone wall to meet him. Behind the giant Akimichi stood his scores of warriors, more than a hundred from what the brothers could tell.

"Hand over the Nara clan head!" the giant Akimichi demanded.

"I'm Hashirama, and this my brother, Tobirama," Hashirama said with his hands raised to indicate peace. "You're Abura, aren't you? The head of the Akimichi clan? Can we talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about," Abura said. "The Nara clan has committed the vilest of crimes against us." Abura pointed to a small group of seven Nara sitting near his massive leg, they were tied and gagged. "The criminals who killed my son are here, but their deaths are meaningless! We will kill one of them every hour until you hand over the clan head. When the last is dead, we will storm the village and kill all of you!"

With that said, Abura shrunk to his normal size and vanished from view. Hashirama realized suddenly that the massive man's voice had resounded throughout the village. The debate had already erupted. Chuuko stood at the head of a mass of angry villagers that were demanding the Nara to leave as a whole. Hashirama leaped between the groups and raised his hands for silence.

"Please, everyone remain calm-"

"We won't remain calm!" Chuuko shrieked. "How dare you drag this war to our village and endanger all our lives? Rectify it at this instant and send these people away!"

"We did what we had to," Tobirama said, coldly. "We promised these people our protection, with your permission. It would be cowardly to turn them away now."

"Cowardly?!" Chuuko said. "We are not ninjas! This is not our fight!"

"Enough!" Hashirama said, silencing the crowd. "The past will not change, and we can't abandon our allies. Chuuko, rise the villagers within the perimeter of this wall and gather them at the base of the mountain. Peko, send your Nara clan there as well."

It took them slightly less than an hour to gather the villagers. Those within the perimeter that Hashirama had erected numbered well over four thousand. Unfortunately, in the haste of confusion, villagers who lived farther out, nearer to the rice patties, probably almost two thousand of them, were cut from protection. The people cowered beneath the mountain as the Senju brothers gathered with Peko and Nodoka.

"I'll go," Peko said before anyone could speak. "I don't know what they want, and what we could have done. But there isn't any other way."

"They'll kill you!" Nodoka said. "I'll go, I'm also the head of this clan. The clan needs you more than they need me."

"They asked for me," she said. "My brother, Fieru, is amongst those prisoners. His sins are mine to pay for."

"Slow down," Hashirama said. "This is a delicate situation. Jumping to hasty solutions won't get us out of it."

"This our problem!" Peko said. "Not yours. You said it yourself in the forest, you weren't hired to fight wars. Protect your village, Nodoka will lead the clan deeper into the country, and I will go do what I must for my people."

"Shut up," Tobirama said. "How many times have I told you think? Think for a moment. Apparently, those boys have killed the Akimichi clan head's son, and we've killed large numbers of their men. Abura won't be satisfied with just your head. However, last night he learned that the Nara clan can defend itself when properly organized. The best way to keep the clan disorganized is to kill its primary leader. With you dead the Nara clan falls into confusion, and then we've got to defended them along with the villagers."

"A clever strategy," Hashirama added, "but not one we'd fall for."

Feeling thoroughly embarrassed, Peko tightened her lips and bowed her head.

"What's the plan then?" she asked.

Before either brother could speak, Abura's giant face appeared over the village again.

"One hour has passed, and one hostage is dead and six remain. Do not take us lightly!"

He vanished again, but before the group could reconvene for a plan, a figure trudged out from behind a house toward them. They got a brief glimpse of his face, and as the boy, hardly a man, began to fall to the ground, Peko rushed over and caught him.

"Fieru!" she said. "Fieru!"

In Fieru's hands was the severed head of a Nara, the first hostage to die. The face was contorted into a vile image of something much more than fear; rather plastered onto the face was animalistic desperation. They tossed the head aside and Peko cooed her brother lovingly until finally his eyes began to rapidly blink as he tried to adjust to the sun.

Fieru stood shakily. With tears in her eyes Peko hugged him deeply before slapping him with enough force to send him careening to his butt.

"Fieru, you fool!" Peko said. "How could you do this to us?"

"S-sister … Mr. Senju," he said. "Forgive me, but we didn't do anything. We didn't kill anyone."

"Come on, let's get you some water," Hashirama said before lifting him so as to lay him gently on the side of a solid structure. After Fieru had had several glasses of water, Hashirama spoke again. "How did you escape?"

"They accidently cut me loose as they pulled Yousha away to kill him," Fieru said through clouded eyes. "I grabbed his head and ran. They didn't give chase … they just laughed. 'He'll die with the rest of them' …"

"You said your group didn't kill the boy? Then what happened?"

"Its all a blur," Fieru said. "Sister sent the seven of us on a reconnaissance mission to track the moves the Akimichi clan. We kept a healthy distance, and we found nothing suspicious. On our way home we were ambushed by some black-clad figures. It happened so fast. Everything went dark and when I woke up, all of us were standing over a dead little boy-" he stopped to puke on his lap. "We didn't kill that boy … maybe our bodies, but not our minds."

"'Black-clad figures'," Tobirama said. "Sounds like the assassin who tried to stop us last night. Any connection you think?"

"Let's hope so," Hashirama said. "We'll prepare fortifications first, and then you can go investigate. You're the better detective between us. Hopefully, you find something to stop this."

"And if he doesn't find anything?" Peko asked.

"We gathered at the base of the mountain for a reason," Hashirama said. "The homes between where the Akimichi are and the base provide ample cover, and the mountain gives me ample ammunition for battle. If it comes to that, then we'll fight till only one side remains!"

Preparing the fortifications were easy enough. The Nara clan was split between fighters and non-fighters. The fighters were littered strategically around the area such that their Shadow Bind technique had its greatest reach. Hashirama created for himself a pillar on which everything was in sight. From his perch he would bring the very weight of the mountain down on the Akimichi plan. At the same time, he reached out to tickle the energy of the universe. He imagined what hand signs he could use, and how much power he would need, to create an entire World of Trees.

Tobirama grabbed Peko by the arm, with Nodoka watching from a distance.

"I'm going to go to find an end to this," Tobirama said to her. "Whatever happens while I'm gone, don't you surrender to them. Do you hear me? Never surrender."

"I … I won't!" she said.

Tobirama considered, briefly, giving her a kiss. He stopped himself because the whole world was watching, and her living meant nothing if he would lose her anyway to petty politics. He turned his back to the mountain and made his way out of the perimeter. Hiding from the Akimichi clan was easy. They were large in number, and that made them stupid. If only he could draw them to the Naka river; there he could drown them all with those pacific waters.

But the risk was too great, so he slithered past the Akimichi. On the way he stopped briefly to inform the villagers outside of the perimeter where to hide. From there he made his way to the Nara clan's Sacred Forest. It was only now that he understood why the forest might be considered sacred. The trees were so large and thick and close together; it was like a wall of wood. It was easy to see why the Akimichi wanted it; a home where even the sun's fire could hardly penetrate.

"Found you," Tobirama whispered, after finding the body.

Tobirama kept a healthy distance, feeling other eyes were on it as well. He silently placed on finger on the ground, and immediately the world around him began to move. His technique used chakra to pick up on vibrations of water molecules in the ground, so as to detect the movement of large creatures. He found them immediately; three black-clad figures waiting to be sure the coast was clear.

There was no way to attack them, for each was positioned such that they were in the direct line of sight of another. So he held his passion, and waited.

It took a mind-jarring length of time, but one of the black-clad figures lost his patience and moved in for the body. His two compatriots followed him. They kept their backs to the surrounding foliage as to keep protected. Just as one of them touched the cool body, Tobirama sprung from the foliage. They swiveled to face him in their fighting stances. Tobirama raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Let's be calm," Tobirama said, walking forward slowly. "I just have some questions. You'll answer them, and we'll all leave unharmed."

They stood silently in their stances.

"Now … there's been some warring between the Nara clan and Akimichi clan. Do you three know anything about it?"

One of them leaped into action, pulling a kunai from their holster and lunging at Tobirama with speed that was anything but impressive. In an instant Tobirama shattered his arm and jaw, leaving him unconscious on the floor. He turned to the remaining two just in time to see one of them drop into a familiar Ninjutsu stance; his middle fingers and pointing fingers connected, while the thumbs did the same making a large gap.

"Mind-Body Switch!" the ninja yelled.

Tobirama was gone before the words left the man's lips. The body fell limp as the mind sailed away, and Tobirama faced the last intruder.

"I've worked with the Yamanaka clan before," Tobirama said. "I'm surprised you'd having anything to do with this. After all, the Yamanaka work much better as petty assassins and infiltrators. Your secret technique is very limited in its scope, and poses no threat to an extremely superior ninja. Now, two of you are incapacitated. You can't outrun me, and you can't defeat me. Just tell me what you know."

The remaining member retrieved a kunai and aimed to kill himself. Tobirama caught his wrist before he could, breaking his grip on the kunai, and then kicked the assassin in the knees. There were two quick pops followed by a muffled scream as the man bowed. Tobirama gently pulled the mask from his face, revealing pale blond hair and pale blue eyes that were alight with a healthy fear.

"You recognize me don't you?" Tobirama asked.

"S-Senju," the man said.

"So then you understand the depths of my power," Tobirama said. "We and the Yamanaka clan are on good terms. Whatever your clan has done can be forgiven if you'll simply give me the information I need to bring about peace." When the man said nothing, Tobirama continued. "I'll show you a technique of mine … its not practical for battle, but excellent for extracting information."

Tobirama ran through a few hand seals and placed his hand on the man's head.

"Water Style: Water Contortion Technique."

The man's body suddenly began contorting in horrible ways, and a wretched scream escaped his mouth as the pain enveloped his body.

"You see," Tobirama said, "the human body is composed mostly of water. If I can get someone to sit still, I can inject my chakra into their blood stream and control that water. While the control isn't precise enough to turn you into a puppet … it is very good at causing agonizing pain, while keeping you wide awake. Now … speak!"

The Yamanaka man was surprisingly resilient, but within twenty minutes the pain became too much to bear and after begging for mercy failed, he spilled his guts.

The Yamanaka Clan had been hired by a contractor to clear out the Nara's Forest. Having no fighting skills and being smaller in number to the Nara, a direct assault would have failed. Instead, they got a group of Nara and used the Mind-Body Switch technique to force those Nara to kill the Akimichi clan head's son. They had rationalized that the Akimichi clan had more than enough fighting skill to clear out the forest and then leave.

"A brilliant idea," Tobirama said, "but you and your contractor failed to consider the Nara clan's connections."

Tobirama knocked him unconscious and hoisted him on a shoulder. After killing the two unconscious Yamanaka clan members, he made his way back towards the village. When he arrived to the earthen gate, the Akimichi clan was getting shifty. Hashirama, having sensed him, left his post and met Tobirama on the village's side of the defense.

"Found something after all?" Hashirama said.

"I've gotten everything we need," Tobirama said, before informing Hashirama of the plot.

"Good," Hashirama said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Let's go meet them."

The brothers easily scaled the gate and landed just fifty or so feet from the head of the Akimichi wall. Abura was sitting beside the hostages; only two remained now. Those who had been sitting suddenly rose to their feet.

"That isn't the clan head," Abura said. "You underestimate us, Senju brothers!"

"Abura," Hashirama said, "there has been a mere misunderstanding. This man here is a Yamanaka. His clan was contracted to commit the killing so as to draw you anger against the Nara Clan. Whoever contracted them wanted the genocide of the Nara clan in order to get the forest."

"And why would be we believe it?" Abura asked.

"Because it makes sense," another Akimichi, almost as big as Abura said. "Why would the Nara clan attack us? Like I told you before, they have no motive."

"Be silent, Hoya!" Abura said.

"I won't," Hoya said. "You've let your anger blind you, and are acting in a manner not befitting of a clan head! You've waged war against an innocent enemy with powerful allies. While we should be preparing for the winter, we're out fighting and losing men."

"Would you have me just forget my son's death?" Abura asked.

"No," Hoya said, backing away slightly. "Shokubai's death pained us all. But the fact remains that the clan come's first."

Abura grabbed the unconscious Yamanaka by the neck and lifted him into the air.

"Fine then," Abura said. "We'll leave the Nara clan be. But, we'll find the Yamanaka clan and make them pay!"

The Akimichi clan's marching feet seemed to make the earth quake beneath their combined weight. But within minutes the behemoths had vanished beyond a line of trees. The Senju brothers swiftly returned to the base of the mountain. The terrified people brightened at the sight of them, and at Hashirama's signal, the Nara clan's fighters left their ambush positions.

"Villagers!" Hashirama said. "The crisis has been averted! Return to your homes, but be diligent."

"What happened?" Peko asked them, amid the moving villagers.

"As I'd suspected," Tobirama said, "there was foul play. We found the real culprits, and shifted the Akimichi clan's wrath."

"I'm sorry I doubted you ..." Peko said. "Anyway, Nodoka, Fieru and I will start preparing the clan for movement back into the forest."

It was tedious, and laborious work. Many of Nara were tired and weary, so Chuuko spared some of the village's food to feed them for their journey. Those who were old had to be carried, and those who were young had to be convinced to go back. Very few of them could see the logic in going in the direction of their would be killers, but eventually Peko coaxed them into it. The Senju brothers led the exodus once more.

"It's turned out to be an interesting few weeks," Tobirama joked.

"A little more than that," Hashirama said.

The journey this time was much slower than before. Without the sense of urgency that came with the thought of coming death, the civilian members of the Nara clan moved much slower and had to stop many more times to rest their aching feet. By the time they were within viewing range of the forest, the sun had just begun to sink and the sky was turning a beautiful pink color. Hashirama stopped for a moment to enjoy the scene; the Nara forest seemed almost to be on fire when surrounded by the evening sky.

"Heaven's garment is without seems," he said.

The serenity was shattered as an explosion rocked their ears, and a line of smoke rose like a snake's head from the Nara's forest. Many explosions followed thereafter.

"Tobirama, protect the clan!" Hashirama ordered, before moving swiftly forward.

Before Hashirama reached the forest, two figures came battling out. One of them was the Akimichi's clan head, Abura. He came rolling out of the forest, covered in bruises and burns and looking all but defeated. Close behind him came another figure, small and nimble, not even Hashirama's size. The brown skinned man moved swiftly after Abura like the manifestation of death. Abura rolled to his feet, and growled in anger.

"Human Bullet Tank!" Abura roared.

Abura launched forward in his tank form, moving faster than Hashirama had seen any other Akimichi move. Abura's opponent was undeterred. He stood his ground and ran through many hand seals.

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

The man inhaled deeply, mixing precious oxygen with the fire energy brewing in the pit of his diaphragm. He exhaled, releasing five different flames. Two lines of flame went right, two more went left, and the final when directly forward like the tongue of a dragon's maw. The flames met Abura half way. Abura pushed, tearing the ground asunder behind him, but could not overpower the flames. The streams of fire suddenly converged to one and overpowered Abura. When the flames dissipated, there was nothing but ash.

The figure wiped some sweat off his forehead and turned to Hashirama. He pointed his thumb at himself.

"The name's Sasuke," he said, grinning. "Sarutobi Sasuke. And you must be Senju Hashirama. I've heard a lot about you. You're the top dog around these parts, with an immoveable sense of right and wrong. I didn't know you worked so closely with the Nara clan until it was too late. You've all but ruined my plan."

"All but ruined?" Hashirama asked. "Your plan is broken. If you're smart, you'll leave the forest be."

"Yes, all but ruined," Sasuke said. "You see, right now in that forest, the Akimichi clan is getting the shit kicked out of it by my Sarutobi warriors, with some Yamanaka clan members sprinkled in. Once they're all dead, the forest is mine … but of course, that leaves the problem of you and the Nara clan. You'll be handled the same way."

"You overestimate yourself," Hashirama growled.

"Let's see!"

Hashirama met Sasuke in a sudden clash of fists. The Sarutobi was small and nimble, and used it to his advantage. Sasuke ducked underneath a blow, and tackled Hashirama, attempting to bring him down to the ground. Hashirama sprawled his legs away and attempted to counter, but by then Sasuke had made some distance between them.

"Fire Style: Fire Bullets!"

Sasuke began to rapidly spit air, and with each spit came a tiny ball of fire that exploded towards Hashirama. Hashirama retreated and gathered his chakra. The power rippled through his body, vitalizing his organs and giving him great power. In a great burst of speed he bypassed the fire bullets and descended upon Sasuke, punching the Sarutobi clean in the jaw.

Sasuke sailed away, and landed on his feet clutching his jaw.

"You're power's no joke," Sasuke said. "If I hadn't moved when I did, you would've broken my jaw." He wiped some blood off his lip. "Well then, let's step this battle up a notch!" He formed a quick set of hand seals and slammed his palm on the floor, sending small seals spiraling out from the center. "Summoning: Monkey King Yama!"

There was a cloud of smoke, and when it cleared, a large, man-sized ape with brown fur and wearing tiger skin was glaring angrily at Hashirama.

"Meet my partner," Sasuke said, "Yama, the King of Monkeys. He's no match for you either, but together … Yama, transform!"

Yama jumped into the air and made a hand seal. Instantly the ape transformed into a long red pole that was golden on the ends. Sasuke caught the staff and twirled it skillfully in the air before dropping into a stance. Hashirama retrieved the Kusanagi from his hip.

The two met in a clash of steel, and both were amazed by the others' weapon. Hashirama parried a strike of the staff and moved to punch Sasuke in the face. The other end of the pole suddenly came around, nearly crushing his head. Hashirama leaped out of its range, but the edge touched his cheek, drawing a line of blood.

"A staff that's sharp?" Hashirama asked.

"He does a lot more than that!" Sasuke yelled proudly.

The staff suddenly extended from his grip, chasing after Hashirama. The Senju sidestepped it, but then was nearly caught by a giant monkey's arm that erupted from the side. Hashirama swung the Kusanagi at it, but instead of being cleaved through, the tough flesh was able to grip around the sword, despite bleeding. Another arm suddenly exploded from the side, forcing Hashirama to release his sword and back away.

Emboldened, Sasuke rushed forward, his stride eating away at the gap between them.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Spears!"

Hashirama's spears of earth erupted from the ground in front of Sasuke. They slowed him down, but the staff managed to cut through them. Hashirama extended his senses, drawing the natural energy that surrounded him. It came seamlessly to him, and for a moment he let the genius that comes with battle take over him. The hand seals came naturally, as if he had practiced it a thousand times; tiger, horse, tiger, snake … the new 'life energy' gathered in the finger tips of his right hand.

"Wood Style: Great Forest!"

Hashirama extended his right hand, and suddenly it transformed. The arm turned turned to a powerful branch. Hashirama easily caught the staff with his new arm. The arm then slithered around the staff like a snake and wrapped itself around Sasuke's arm. The staff dropped to the ground. With a single thought, Hashirama sent Sasuke sailing towards him. He cocked back his free arm and delivered a resounding punch to the Sarutobi leader's gut.

Hashirama released him, letting him crumble to his knees and grab his shattered ribs.

"You overestimated yourself," Hashirama repeated.

"D-don't underestimate the Sarutobi family!"

The war taking place inside the forest was suddenly released to the outside. The forest was set ablaze in almost all directions, and would soon all catch fire. The Akimichi clan came from one direction. Their numbers had dwindled, but not significantly enough to cripple them as a military unit. Hoya, who had argued against Abura before, was at the head of them, breathing with difficulty.

Behind Sasuke came a group of nine. They all looked somewhat similar to him; they were tan-skinned and monkey-like with how nimble and rugged they were.

"Meet my nine best fighters," Sasuke heaved. "Together, we're the Sarutobi Ten!"

Not far from them came another group of fighters with pale blue eyes and pale blond hair wearing dark garb.

"And our allies," Sasuke continued, "the Yamanaka clan."

Soon came Tobirama and Peko beside Hashirama, and behind them those of the Nara clan who were tough of enough to fight. The three factions stood at odds, all staring at each other. No one moved, until finally Sasuke managed the strength to stand. He grinned at his enemies.

"This hasn't gone the way I thought it would," Sasuke said.

"So you are the leader here," Hoya said. "You'll pay for what you've done!"

"Don't battle here!" Peko demanded. "Take it away from our forest!"

"Your forest?" Sasuke asked. "No, it's _my_ forest. The only way you'll get it back is to kill all of us. I'll tell you now, that ain't gonna happen. Not in this life time."

"Stop the act," Tobirama said coldly. "Hashirama clearly hurt you, and your small band is going to be no match for us. Take your beef with the Akimichi elsewhere, or you won't leave this place alive."

"We won't leave either," Hoya said. "The Akimichi clan has been wronged. We've been drawn into the petty squabbles of your clans. Our clan head and his heir are dead, our fighting forces have been diminished. Even still, we outnumber you all. Unless you want to be slaughtered, you'll all leave. The forest is ours as a reparation!"

"Slaughter us?" Sasuke asked. "You couldn't beat us in there, what makes you think you'll win out here? We'll incinerate you."

The tensions continued to explode, but no one moved to attack. Hashirama watched the on goings silently, and realized quickly the futility of their aggressions. Everyone wanted to seem tough, but none of them truly wanted a fight to the death. As they were arguing, he noticed the fire in forest had spread, and soon there would be nothing left to fight over. The Nara clan would always have a home with him, but what about the rest?

"Why do you want our forest so badly?" Peko asked.

"The cold, first winter rain is on its way," Sasuke said. "The end of the war between the Fuuma clan and Uchiha clan has left my clan without jobs. We need somewhere safe to say … I have a son, and he'll get this forest!"

"Why can't you share it?" Hashirama asked.

"Because its their 'sacred forest'," Sasuke sneered. "They would deny us!"

"The forest isn't big enough for us all," Hoya said.

It was not, and Hashirama knew it. The Nara's Sacred Forest was extremely dense, but also very tiny. It was barely large enough to house the Nara and could not sustain anymore clans. Solutions ran through his head. Anything to avoid this coming blood bath. Hashirama slowly stepped to the middle of the three opposing factions.

"Maybe there isn't enough of this forest to share," Hashirama said, "but that doesn't mean that we must battle for it. I offer you all an alternative to bloodshed. Become a part of my village, become a part of me, and I will weave your clans the capes they need to bear the winter!"

"Stay together?" Hoya asked.

"Why not?" Hashirama asked in return. "Yes, normal convention might say that ninja clans are not meant to fraternize outside of war, but normal convention is only valid under normal circumstances. These are far from normal circumstances. I offer you, to avoid this blood bath, that we become one for at least this winter. There is power in numbers, and I can shelter you all."

"How exactly?" Sasuke asked.

Hashirama slowly made his way towards the burning forest. The flames were concentrated mostly at the center of the forest, but the perimeter had been destroyed by the Akimichi's body expansion techniques. In essence, it was a symbol of Hashirama's idea. The natural ninja solution to a conflict was more conflict, but no one gained anything from conflict. After their three way war, whoever remained would get nothing but the shell of a home and become nothing but a shell of a people.

But, what of unity?

Once again, Hashirama let the universe flow through him. He turned to face the three factions and made two hand seals; tiger and snake.

"Wood Release: World of Trees!"

The life energy exploded into the ground behind him, and suddenly what had been destroyed was reborn. Tree trunks and roots erupted from the ground inside the forest, and within moments, the trees that were gone were recreated, and those that had survived were strengthened. The fire was extinguished, and now there stood a new forest, a stronger forest.

Hashirama gave them a few moments to awe at his power, and a gave himself a few moments to recuperate. He walked forward and opened his palm. There was a few minutes of silence, but the four clan heads soon met him in the middle.

They unclenched their fists and gripped his open palm.

**Chapter Edited**


	6. Chapter 6

**A ****Thousand Hands**

******Summary****: **The rise and fall of the man who moved nations; Senju Hashirama.

******Disclaimer: ****Naruto Series is not mine**

**Arc Two: **Clenched Fists, Open Palms

**Chapter Six**

"_Heat waves simmering_

_one or two inches_

_above dead grass"_

_- Matsuo Basho_

The first day of spring brought with it a heat wave, as was natural in Fire Country. The village people found it to be a good return to something they all understood. It was something they desperately needed, seeing as the winter had been cruelly unfamiliar. Fire Country usually enjoyed rather mild winters, but the last had been vicious. The winter rains quickly went from rain to hail, and for a period of months snow had covered the country like a frosty blanket.

Tales had circulated across the land about mass starvation and people freezing to death.

"Not here," Hashirama said, in response to hearing that story.

The village beneath the mountain had prospered ridiculously well over the last several months. What Hashirama had done in a mere blind moment of passion, with no strategy in mind, had had a lucrative payoff. The sheer success of it all had made the four clans, at least for the moment, forget about their atrocities against each other just some months ago. But still, the four clans had been separated in order to avoid causing tensions, but were close enough together that the villagers did not become nervous about being surrounded by strangers.

It baffled Hashirama, whose skills lay in people and their relationships. Tobirama, who was better at understanding economics and how systems functioned, explained it like this:

"Its simple economics really; it all comes down to productivity. Winters are so harsh in Fire Country because of a lack of access. Ninjas aren't productive because they can't be contracted by civilians. Civilians aren't productive because they can't contract ninjas to do things they couldn't do alone. Thus, it becomes a cycle that feeds itself. However, with the ninjas and the civilians all located in the same spot, there is easy access, thus making everyone more productive. Also, with four clans, there's competitions amongst the clans to be the most contracted by villagers, further increasing productivity. Just look at these results!"

Indeed, the results had been astounding.

The cold winter that had brought them together also became the catalyst of the village's radical economic explosion.

It all started with bouts of pneumonia caused by the harsh cold. The Nara clan had excellent medicines and doctors, which the other clans and the village people quickly sought out. In order to pay for those services, the village people had to produce more food to sell in order to make money. Thus, they approached the Yamanaka clan, a clan of planters who knew many agricultural techniques for making, and preserving, food in the harsh cold.

With increased food production, the villagers were able to pay for more services from both clans. As the winter got harsher, suddenly there came a sudden demand for houses. All of the clans lacked housing, and the villagers could use more of it. The Akimichi clan, with their ability to manipulate size, were then contracted to build those houses; from there Hashirama made a hefty sum of money selling lumber.

The Sarutobi clan was briefly excluded from the economic boom, but that quickly changed when the snow came. The snow destroyed established traveling routes and made it almost impossible to trade. The Sarutobi clan was naturally gifted with great affinities for Fire Style techniques and Earth Style techniques. They were contracted by other clans, and at times merchants in the village, to clear paths of snow. Eventually, that evolved to the point where they began to make roads through mud and drying techniques.

In just under four months, the village had expanded from its original limits by more than ten square miles!

But now spring had come, bringing with it a fiery sun and a great fear of change. Hashirama and Tobirama sat with Chuuko at a table, drinking some hot tea Chuuko had kindly provided.

"Well," Hashirama said, "spring has come. The original arrangement with the clans was only that they stay for the winter. I've already spoken with Peko, and the Yamanaka leader and they both said they'd like to stay. I'll speak with Hoya and Sasuke later today. So, Chuuko, what do the villagers have to say about all this?"

"They're all for it!" Chuuko said, giddily. "Generally, the people are very excited about what's going to happen next. However, they are very scared that without the cold to drive us, everything will slow down. What say you, Tobirama?"

"The cold was only a catalyst," Tobirama explained, "we don't need it to sustain the growth. Things might even grow faster now. With spring here, many villagers will leave to go retrieve family members in cities and towns. That could start up a very lucrative escorting business for the clans, especially the Sarutobi since they are the most individually skilled. With more people, that means a greater need for homes, food and medicine, giving all the other clans their fair sure of more work, and giving the villagers a lot to work with."

"Amazing," Chuuko marveled. "This is too good to be true! Our little village turned into an economic hub, like Tanzaku Gai!"

"Yes, well, Tanzaku Gai has its fair sure of problems," Hashirama said. "The main one being that they're constantly raided by bandit ninjas trying to plunder that wealth. With spring comes more activity from the bandits and ninja clans. There's no telling when the attacks will come. We need to start preparing a defense force."

"Why not the Sarutobi clan?" Chuuko asked. "They are the most 'individually skilled', right?"

"Its not that simple," Hashirama said, sighing. "If the Sarutobi clan were to become the defense force, then that would give them absolute power over the village, and it would insult the other clans, especially the Akimichi. We have to find a way to incorporate all of them."

"Easier said than done," Tobirama said. "Getting them to work together for money is one thing, but fighting together? That's a whole different story."

"We'll worry about it later," Hashirama said. "For now, let's go get the Akimichi and Sarutobi clans on board for extending the relationship. Tobirama, if you would, please get the Yamanaka and Nara clans to the mountain base, and Chuuko, get the villagers. We'll convene in three hours. I'll go speak to Hoya and Sasuke."

They split up, and Hashirama made his way towards the Akimichi grounds. He walked slowly, taking in the sight of the new world around him; it was is if the original village beneath the mountain had been buried, only to be replaced by rows of homes, shops and stores. He wondered briefly what his mother would think about this new change.

Eventually, Hashirama reached a tall wooden arch that had 'Akimichi' written on top. In essence, the place was a town within the town. All of the clans had created their own special little zones where their ancestral culture thrived. Like the rest of the village, this place was lined with homes and shops, but these were specially built for the Akimichi tastes; notably there were restaurants everywhere!

Hashirama made his way to the largest home in the area, the home of Hoya, the new Akimichi clan head. The guards bowed deeply to him.

"Master Hashirama," one said, "Lord Hoya is waiting for you."

The inside of the home was ridiculously large, height ways. The Akimichi people were large even when not expanding their bodies and their homes reflected that. Naturally Hoya, being the largest of all Akimichi, had made his home to fit his size. The inside was lined with the ancestral body armor that the Akimichis wore to combat, all of them able to fit two of Hashirama.

Despite his small stature, Hashirama felt extremely big when inside the home. Hoya, having grown very accustomed to him over the months, greeted him with an informal hug that almost bruised his sides. In the dining area, Hoya's wife, Kanai, had made them a massive meal of rice, noodles, beef and fish. It was another testament to the economic boom of their once tiny village.

After the meal was done, most of it eaten by Hoya, Hashirama spoke:

"So," he said, "I've come to ask you … is your clan staying? Or have you decided to move on?"

"You gave me too much time to think!" Hoya said. "I wish you would've asked me a month ago, when I would have said yes and the entire clan would have castrated me if I hadn't! But, now with the spring here, some of the men who were loyal to Abura are getting shiftless. They want to avenge him. Of course, I've strictly forbidden it."

"So, then," Hashirama asked, "your decision?"

"We'll stay of course!" Hoya said, slapping his massive palm on the table. "Abura was my brother. I was loyal to him, and I loved him and I loved his son even more … but as the winter came, I came to understand why Sasuke did what he did. Anything to protect his precious ones. Besides, here we've amassed more wealth than our clan had ever before. Those men will stop being so angry when they're fat and wealthy!"

"Good to hear," Hashirama said. "Tobirama and I are meeting with the clan heads at the base of the mountain. Bring a few of your people. In the afternoon, we'll solidify our alliance, and at night, we'll throw a grand celebration!"

"I didn't think you were the partying type," Hoya said.

"My mother taught me to celebrate great occasions," Hashirama replied.

Next, Hashirama made his way to the area where the Sarutobi clan lived. Once again, the build of their zone was reflective of their culture. The other three clans had chosen to live as the villagers did. They lived out in the open. The Sarutobi clan, disliking the open fields, had asked Hashirama to make them foliage to live in. Hashirama walked through a dense line of trees, and was immediately in a new world. Sun shone brightly through the leaves, creating a grand illusion of night time and daybreak at all at once. Most of the Sarutobi homes were located in the trees, they loved tree houses, but they had built a complex system of roads, stores and infrastructure.

Sasuke had no guards to his home, so Hashirama knocked gently and let himself in. He was immediately greeted by the sounds of laughter. Sasuke was on the floor, rolling around playfully with his son, Hiruzen.

"Hiruzen, look," Sasuke said, "Master Hashirama has arrived."

"Please," Hashirama begged, scratching his head with embarrassment, "just call me Hashirama, or Hashi even."

Hashirama and Tobirama had been greatly humbled to find out that Sasuke, despite his youthful appearance, was about five years older than their father would have been if he were alive. He was filled to the brim with experience in all fields of life, so Hashirama had started making it a point to approach him for all advice in the last month or so.

Hiruzen, got up and managed a full sprint before tackling Hashirama's leg and trying to bite him. Sasuke grabbed the little boy by the leg, and suddenly whipped his head away at the whiff of a sudden stench.

"Little bastard can throw shuriken," Sasuke said, "but still can't manage to tell us when he poops. Keiko! Your son needs you!"

Sasuke's wife came from another room. She bowed deeply to Hashirama, before taking Hiruzen away to change him.

"How old is he now?" Hashirama asked, sitting on a mat cross-legged and across from Sasuke.

"Just about nine months, or is it ten?" Sasuke asked no one.

"Ten months?!" Hashirama asked in astonishment. "And he can run, leap and throw. The boy's a genius!"

"I wouldn't bet on it," Sasuke said, "they say genius skips a generation in Sarutobi men, and I'm pretty damn genius so he's outta luck. Anyway… Hashi, I know you've come here to demand we leave immediately, and I say dammit we won't leave ever!"

"Sasuke, please don't do that," Hashirama said, sheepishly. "You know I came to invite you to the meeting to officially renew the deal. Bring a few members of your clan, Keiko and Hiruzen especially. Later tonight, we'll throw a grand festival to celebrate the union."

"A party animal, huh?" Sasuke asked. "I never would've guessed."

"Before I leave," Hashirama asked. "I'd like some advice. As a village, we never really had to worry about protection because of the winter. With spring here and summer coming, its only a matter of time before the raiders come. I want to create a defense force, but I don't want to ruin the delicate balance between the clans. How should I do it?"

"The most important thing when making a military-type organization is structure," Sasuke said. "There has to be a clear chain of command. I would suggest making three man teams; usually a Yamanaka, Nara and Akimichi and then having a Sarutobi lead that team. My clan is naturally more battle orientated and thus, better war leaders, but of course, true skill and tactical genius should trump all clan affiliations. And of course at the head of this military organization are you and Tobirama. For the most part, keep the clan heads out of it because you don't want to mix military issues and political issues."

"You've given this a lot of thought," Hashirama said after draining it in. "You really love this place?"

"To an extent," Sasuke said. "Personally, I'd prefer to roam. I've been moving my whole life, and I'll never be okay with this sitting in one place business … but the nomadic way of life is no way raise a family … no way to raise a son."

"I'll see you at the mountain base then?" Hashirama asked, standing up.

"We'll be there soon," Sasuke said. "You got a speech prepared?"

"A speech?" Hashirama asked. "What speech?"

"Oh, come on, Hashi!" Sasuke said, grinning. "You're the village leader. You've gotta have a speech prepared. You know … something about peace, love, the new world, how rich they'll get and all that other good shit that people love to hear."

Hashirama did not got a chance to ponder about this speech, because he suddenly felt several unfamiliar chakra signatures roaming the area. Tobirama seemed to have noticed them too; Hashirama could feel his brother closing in on them. The three chakra signatures, probably feeling they had been detected, suddenly left the area in haste. Hashirama kept his senses on them all the way to the Naka river.

Not wanting to incite a panic, he said nothing. Soon, many villagers and members of the various clans had met at the base of the moment. The Senju brothers met quietly amongst the uproar of the crowd.

"How many?" Tobirama asked.

"I count three," Hashirama said, "but I feel more on the outskirts of my senses. They're directly south, right on the Naka river. Find out who they are and what they want. If they're threats, kill them."

"Of course," Tobirama said, before vanishing amidst a sea of faces.

Standing on a high earth rampart, Hashirama smiled down to the people and called up the clan heads. Almost a thousand people had collected at the base. Chuuko came up first, and then Peko, and then Yamanaka leader, Tenpi, and then Hoya and finally Sasuke.

Hashirama stepped forward, silencing the crowd.

"The last year has been a radical one," Hashirama said. "Our quaint village beneath the mountain has faced great dangers, yet we survived, and it made us stronger. In just a year, we've laid the blueprint for creating a wonderful metropolis that will continue to thrive. And along the way, we've picked up some brothers and sisters: the Nara, the Yamanaka, the Akimichi and the Sarutobi. We welcomed them and were rewarded for it, and now again we offer them a chance to extend our brotherhood. Clan leaders, please, tell us why you'll leave or stay."

Tobirama heard just the first of Hashirama's words. His focus was completely on the current task at hand. He had noticed one of the figures when he was leaving the Nara zone. The figure had run, and he had tailed him, but the figure quickly vanished. It was an impressive feat, impressive enough to make his pulse quicken, and impressive enough for Hashirama to consider these people 'threats'.

Tobirama used his water vibration technique to find them. As Hashirama had said, there were three of them. Tobirama found them speaking on the bank of the Naka river. They dressed in black cloaks with a strange, but familiar, symbol on the back. The symbol looked like a fan; the handle and half of the bulb were white, while the top half of the bulb was red.

"I've seen that before," Tobirama mused. "But where?"

Before any of them could notice, Tobirama slipped into the river, which was particularly narrow, but deep, at this junction. He placed his finger on the stones and listened for the sound vibrations.

"You guys feel that?" one of them asked.

"I ain't feel nothin'," the second said.

"Probably just some animal," the third of them said. "All this goddamn forest. I feel like I'm in a jungle. Anyway, what did you see?"

"It was crazy stuff," the first said. "At first, it seemed to be just a moderately sized village, almost like a town even … lots of supplies to take that's for sure. Then, I caught sight of a ninja clan's compound, and then another. There were three ninja clans, all close to each other. I would've kept scouting, but some white-haired geek got my scent."

"Spooked ya did he?" the second one asked.

"No way!" the first man retaliated angrily. "Its just that whatever's going on here is strange. Three ninja clans that I saw, maybe more … and there's no way a clan this far north conquered three others. I didn't want to screw everything up before Izuna got a good look for himself. Let's clear out and meet up with the squad before he gets mad."

"Good idea," the third man said. "But first, we've got a pest problem. Let's handle it!"

Tobirama had moved before he had finished his sentence. The water of the Naka River came to life at Tobirama's order, and he sprung out of the river with the waters carrying him. He brought with him a three pronged wave, like a trident. The two of the men at the ends were able to dodge, but the one in the middle could not move before all three spears descended on him and engulfed him in water. He struggled helplessly, but was soon overcome by a lack of oxygen and the water pressure.

The water receded, letting his limp body fall to the ground. Tobirama eyed his opponents carefully.

"Ya filthy bastard, ya killed Daichi!" one of them yelled.

"Suto," the other said, "calm down. Just got him by surprise is all. I'll say though, you've got a lot of balls attacking us. I never thought that ninjas this far north had that kind of killer instinct. I'm Kan, Suto's the big angry fella over there, and the man you killed is Daichi. What's your name?"

"Doesn't matter," Tobirama said with narrowed eyes; they were plunderers, raiders from the south apparently. He would show them no mercy.

"You're right," Kan said, "dead men don't need names!"

The air suddenly got a chill about it. Both of their eyes suddenly transformed from a coal-like back, to a terrible blood red. In the center of the red iris was an ebony dot, surrounded by three black rotating comma-like shapes.

"You'll regret the day you encountered the Uchiha clan!"

They rushed him in unison, so fast that Tobirama was almost impressed. Tobirama parried a series of strikes from Kan, and with a fluid movement he redirected the man's momentum long enough so that he could put his focus on the other. Tobirama snatched Suto's foot out of the air, and with a single pivot sent the man sailing off in another direction.

"Uchiha clan huh?" Tobirama asked, smirking as he felt excitement bubble up in his stomach.

Tobirama spiked his chakra throughout his body, and in a flicker of speed he vanished, reappearing right in front of Kan. The Uchiha man avoided the first punch, and managed to survive an explosive flurry of fists. Tobirama kicked him in the chest to make distance, before pivoting to catch Suto's wrist. Tobirama tried to punch him in the face but the Uchiha ducked, only for Tobirama to pull his wrist and kick his legs out from under him, before chucking him at Kan to stop a charge.

"He's fast," Kan said.

"Ya think?" Suto barbed back.

"Doesn't matter how fast you are though," Kan said. "As long as I have these eyes, you'll never be fast enough."

"We'll see about that," Tobirama said as he pulled out the Raijin. The blade immediately sprung to life, taking the shape of a broad sword.

"What the f-"

Tobirama lunged towards them with a focused and intent passion. They seemed to be employing some kind of eye technique that allowed them to track his high speed movements and spare them from being slaughtered. But Tobirama never tired. Within minutes of giving chase, he separated them. With a Body Flicker technique he caught Suto by surprise, kicking him in the jaw with enough force shatter it and sending him flying away.

Tobirama cornered Kan and viciously back handed him. He grabbed the Uchiha by the neck and slammed him against a tree. Their gaze met, and at that moment, Tobirama cringed.

His body suddenly went rigid, and he could not move his arm. Before Tobirama could regain himself, Kan kicked him in the stomach, sending him sailing away and leaving the Raijin where it was. The pain brought with it a relief from the paralysis of whatever technique he had been in.

"These eyes do lots of things," Kan said, while preparing hand seals, "and with them, you can't beat us."

Suto had risen now, and was making hand seals as well.

"Fire Style: Grand Fireball!"

The two both exhaled two giant balls of fire that hovered just inches above the grass, but scorched it anyway. The two balls closed in on Tobirama like meteors, and it seemed before he could move, they crashed into him with the force of a freight train. As soon as the balls collided with their target, a hissing sound filled the air and steam escaped in all directions.

Without warning, a funnel of water exploded around Tobirama, engulfing the two balls of fire like a tsunami wave might engulf a two torches.

"A water technique?!" Kan asked. "But we're away from the river!"

"He's conjurin' it from thin air!"

"That's not possible!"

"Water Style: Water Colliding Wave!"

The tornado of water came alive at Tobirama's whim. With a single whip of his hands he sent the water lurching towards the two Uchiha at breakneck speeds. They tried running, but it seemed their eyes could not track the movements of the water the way they tracked his movements. They tried to counter it with fire techniques, but they may as well have tried to light the ocean with a match. Within seconds the water torrent captured them both and crushed them.

Tobirama frowned at the thought of how many more remained. Fighting just two of these Uchiha was like fighting an entire group of any of the clans in the village. But of course now, he had knowledge on the abilities of their eyes. He placed a finger on the ground and immediately leaped into the trees as a presence made itself known.

It must have been another Uchiha, but it was clear to see this one was different from the others. Along with his black cloak and Uchiha symbol, this Uchiha carried with him a thick cloud of chakra that was so strong it almost seemed visible to the naked eye. The scythe strapped to his back, and the miasma like chakra gave him the aura of being a Grim Reaper.

"Come out and face me," the Uchiha said simply.

"Your men were smarter than I thought," Tobirama said, knowing this man was the leader; there were very few ninjas in the world where you could literally _feel_ their strength. "They knew they couldn't beat me, so they drew me here. How many of you are there?"

"Twenty five," the man said.

"I'm Senju Tobirama by the way."

"Uchiha Izuna."

Yes, that was the name the that the men had used before. No doubt, this was their leader. Tobirama placed his finger on the tree trunk and extended his vibration technique as far as he could. Izuna seemed to be telling the truth, as there were twenty four grown men in the field just beyond the foliage a few meters away.

"Well, Izuna," Tobirama said, "I'm not going to face you now. Your twenty-four men are within hearing distance. I'm strong, that's for sure, but I'm no fool. Fighting three Uchiha is one thing, but taking on a twenty five is suicide. So, I'll be leaving back to my base."

"What if we just hunt you down?" Izuna asked.

"Well, if you were an amateur you would," Tobirama said. "But a man like you has to understand that I have all the cards here. I know just about everything I need to know; I know where you're located, I know your numbers, I know that your Eye Technique allows you to perceive and somewhat predict high speed movements, and creates Genjutsu through eyesight. I also know the terrain. What do you know about me? Nothing except that I killed three of your man with ease. I could lead you straight into an ambush."

"If you had such an advantage," Izuna said, "you would be using it, not telling me about it."

"Maybe so," Tobirama said. "Your call."

Tobirama zipped away towards the base of the mountain. Thankfully, Izuna and his Uchiha band decided not to follow. There was no ambush prepared. If they had followed he would have led them back to the river where he could survive long enough for Hashirama to arrive and save him.

Within minutes, Tobirama arrived to the base of the mountain. The villagers had cleared out, going to their homes to prepare the meals they would bring for the night festival. Hashirama was sitting on the rampart where Tobirama had last seen him. The clan heads were there, their faces contorted with a mix of eagerness and fearfulness.

"What did you find?" Hashirama asked.

"Three ninjas," Tobirama said, "Uchihas … I killed them, only to find out that there are about twenty five remaining. Can you confirm?"

"Yeah," Hashirama nodded. "Twenty five, all of them in the clear expanse a couple of miles east."

"Uchiha?" Peko asked, almost disbelieving. "This far north? Why would they come this far north?"

"They're war lovers," Sasuke said simply. "With the Fuuma clan crushed, there's no one to make war with in the south except the Hyuuga, but they aren't to be trifled with. Either way, it doesn't matter why they're here. I've worked closely with Uchiha before. They don't take lightly to someone killing their comrades, this isn't over. We need to take this fight to them, and we need to do it before they get ready to move."

"You've worked closely with them before," Tobirama said, "so then you have information on their eye technique?"

"Its called the Sharingan, and the shits dangerous," Sasuke said. "Its a Dojutsu, a kind of jutsu that lies dormant in the eyes. The Sharingan is the Uchiha clan's Bloodline Limit, their most dangerous weapon, and probably the most fearsome skill in the country. The Sharingan gives many abilities. First, it can see chakra. Second, the eyes allow for predicting movements by analyzing muscle tension. Third, the Sharingan can create Genjutsu through eye contact; anywhere from hypnosis to paralysis. Finally, the Sharingan allows an Uchiha to copy techniques."

"A-amazing," Hoya said. "No wonder they defeated the Fuuma clan."

"It is impressive," Hashirama said, "but no technique is without its weaknesses."

"Of course," Sasuke said. "First, despite being able to see chakra, the Sharingan has the sight range of normal eyes. Second, even if an Uchiha can follow and somewhat predict their opponents movements, it doesn't matter if that opponent is too fast for their body to react. Thirdly, making eye contact with an opponent in the heat of battle is no small task, especially if that opponent is knowledgeable. Finally, they can't replicate techniques their bodies can't handle. For instance, Akimichi body expansion techniques are out of their range, because those techniques require more calories than a normal human body has."

"Good," Hashirama said. "On top of that, we've got war's greatest advantage, numbers. They fear ambush, and aren't moving for now. We'll meet them where they are."

"That's crazy," Peko said. "Didn't you hear Master Sasuke? Uchiha are monsters in head to head combat. We need to spread them out, then take them out one by one."

"Too risky," Hashirama said. "That would have been an option five months ago, when the village was small. But now the village's too big for us to risk facing them in groups. If they penetrate to any section of the village, it would take us too long to get there to help. We have to meet them where they are and crush them."

"Agreed?" Sasuke asked.

"Agreed," Tobirama said.

"Fine," Hoya said. "I'll gather all of my best!"

"We'll only need some of your best," Hashirama said. "There are twenty-five of them, so we'll hit them with fifty warriors, including Tobirama and I. You clan heads remain with your clans and the village. If Tobirama and I die, then the task of protecting the village and running our new system falls upon you four."

It took less than fifteen minutes to gather the needed warriors. The Akimichi provided the bulk of the warriors at twenty-five. Sasuke donated all of nine of his Sarutobi Ten, who would prove to be the most useful. Both the Nara clan and the Yamanaka clan provided seven warriors. Among the Nara warriors was Fieru, Peko's younger brother.

"They've begun to move," Hashirama said to Tobirama, "we'll have to be quick."

"They're nervous," Tobirama said, looking back at their group.

The young men were all looking nervously at their clan heads, who were behind the group. They had all heard stories of the Uchiha clan. They hard heard that Uchiha fighting abilities knew no limits and their cruelty to those who challenged them was legendary. Hashirama heard the whispers among them; their clan divisions were suddenly red and sore. After all, why was Reidai, an Akimichi, laying his life down for Hon, a Sarutobi?

"Brothers!" Hashirama said, stepping on a log in order to be be seen by all. "I feel your fears and doubts, and I tell you, I understand! We all come from different backgrounds, different cultures, and I know that draws a thick red line between us. But … I'll say that we share much more than we don't. Despite our different histories we share a home, and despite our different cultures we share the will, like fire, to defend that which is ours!

"Out there lies an enemy who wishes to destroy not one of you, but all of you. Our foes do not care about our different histories, or different cultures, for if they get the chance they'll kill us all without discrimination! We are one, in every sense of the term. So look around, look at your Akimichi brothers, and your Nara brothers, and Yamanaka brothers and Sarutobi brothers … and understand that if we are to successfully defend our home, you must be brothers."

A small round of applause from the clan heads quickly transformed into an uproarious war cry.

"When did you get to be such a statesman?" Tobirama asked, smirking.

"We all have our hidden talents," Hashirama said back, before turning to them. "Let's march."

"So what's the plan?" Tobirama asked.

"They're concentrated in a field directly in front of us, and not one of them has deviated since they got there," Hashirama said. "They don't know the terrain well enough to have set up any traps. We'll meet them there and fight."

"That's the plan?" Tobirama asked incredulously.

"Hit 'em hard, hit 'em fast," Hashirama said, grinning.

"Well," Tobirama said, "I've got a better plan."

The plan required that they split up. Tobirama took thirty nine of the men and went with the original plan. He turned for a moment to look at the men. Their faces ranged from terrified to excited, but not one among them was not shaking.

"Remember," Tobirama said. "Use your advantages. Yamanaka fighters, Nara fighters, you're good at distracting, so distract. Akimichi fighters, you're good at crushing so crush. Sarutobi fighters … do your thing. Whatever happens, remember that you are a unit. This isn't glory seeking time. You outnumber them, so make every fight an unfair one."

They moved out into open field. It was truly massive, for the Uchiha squadron did not seem take up any space at all. Many of the Uchiha, in anticipation of the coming fight, had taken off their cloaks to reveal the bare flesh of their upper bodies. Tobirama suddenly remembered that Fire Country was in the midst of a heat wave, and wiped the sweat from his brow.

Izuna, also bare chested and bearing his scythe, stepped forward, smirking.

"So there was no ambush," Izuna said, "you were just fleeing like a coward."

"Fleeing? Yes," Tobirama said. "Cowardly? Not a chance. I just wanted to even up the playing field is all." He removed his shirt and grabbed the Raijin, which immediately sprung to life.

There was no tense stand off. The Uchiha fighters rushed around their master in a grand heap with their awesome war cries. The forces behind Tobirama, not to be outdone, shouted even greater cries and launched forward to meet them. Both sides decidedly avoided Izuna and Tobirama, giving them a wide swathe of grass to work with.

Izuna's eyes transformed and suddenly the battle began.

Tobirama realized just as their weapons were about to clash that he had never fought someone with a scythe before. The scythe came bearing down him in a long arc such that it would have stabbed him in the back. Tobirama leaned back to block with the Raijin and slid forward to kick Izuna's knees out from under him.

Izuna leaped over the attack, and suddenly extended his scythe, managing to just nick Tobirama's shoulder as the Senju rolled away.

They met again in a flurry of swipes and blows, this time neither of them gaining the advantage. Izuna raked his scythe at the ground, sending dead grass and dust flying in Tobirama's face. Izune then came back around in the same motion and attempted to cleave Tobirama in half. Tobirama blocked the blade with Raijin and in one fluid motion sent the scythe sailing into the air. Before he could strike, Izuna kicked the Raijin out of his hands. They grappled, Tobirama attempted to sweep Izuna's legs out but the Uchiha jumped away.

Tobirama quickly gave chase. They clashed again, and this time Tobirama was forced to make distance. By the time he recouped, Izuna had finished a set of hand seals.

"Fire Style: Grand Fireball!"

This fireball was on a far different scope to the ones Tobirama had seen before. It was bigger than than the ones he had seen before combined, and instead of fire it seemed to be made of lava that shifted and caused the grass beneath it to erupt in flames.

"Water Style: Water Cannon!"

The water molecules in front of Tobirama came together instantly to make a ball of condensed water. The water cannon shot forward met the fire ball in mid air and exploded into a burst of steam that must have blinded the men fighting around them.

"Water Style: Riding Water Wave!"

Tobirama was lifted by a wave of water that sent him rocketing through the steam. He emerged on the other end and sent his fist roaring towards Izuna. Izuna caught the fist. Tobirama jumped over and turned to kick him. Izuna ducked under it, grabbed Tobirama by the back of the head and forced them face to face.

"Shit!" Tobirama said, as he felt the paralysis take over his body.

Izuna punched Tobirama square in the gut, only for Tobirama's body to suddenly burst into water. The real Tobirama exploded from the remaining steam. He punched Izuna square in the jaw. Izuna recovered quickly, and they met in a barrage of thrown hay-makers and uppercuts.

"No one has worked me this hard since my brother," Izuna said once they made distance. "You are truly a worthy opponent, and I respect you as the leader of this faction."

"I'm not the leader here, actually," Tobirama said between pants for air. "That would be him."

Izuna turned to escape, only to have Hashirama's fist slam into his jaw with bone crunching power. Suddenly, several places of ground were uprooted as ten of Hashirama's soldiers burst forth and joined the hodgepodge of human tanks, fire balls and moving shadows.

"You split your forces in two," Izuna said, standing. "You knew we wouldn't check for chakra underground. I understand when I'm defeated. Uchiha! Retreat!"

The remaining Uchiha, about fifteen aside from Izuna, suddenly began their retreat, covering themselves with fire balls and shuriken until they were behind their leader.

"What makes you think we'll let you leave?" Hashirama asked, preparing to finish them.

"Because," Izuna replied, covering his right eye. "You don't have a choice."

Izuna removed his hand from his eye. The three comma-like marks of his Sharingan suddenly enlargened and became three long bars that connected his pupils to the edges of his irises. Immediately, Hashirama felt a great pressure on his body.

"Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall!"

Without any hand seals, Hashirama forced several bars of wood to explode in front of him and make a half dome.

"Amaterasu!"

Without warning, the wood wall erupted with black flames. Izuna turned his vision all over, and everything his mutated eye saw was ignited by the hellish black fire. Hashirama leaped away, avoiding being crushed by his own wall as the black flames chewed through the wood in seconds and forced it to collapse on itself.

Two people were set ablaze by the black hellfire. Tobirama tried desperately to turn the flames out, but they were stubbornly resistant to his water techniques. Within seconds the screams of the men were replaced by the silence that came with the groups awe.

"Everyone back away!" Hashirama commanded.

The flames were spreading quickly, going with the wind and heading towards the foliage. It took many seconds, but the more battle-hardened members of the survivors grabbed the stunned younger ones and backed away from the flames. Tobirama cursed as his every attempt to silence the flames was rebuked. No matter how much water he used, it evaporated before even touching the flames. He backed away with the rest; even being in proximity of the flames was burning his skin.

"Wood Style: Bliss Bringing Hands!"

The winter had been a time of experimentation and growing for Hashirama. He had learned to master his new element, and had experimented with its powers limits. Among those powers, was the ability to suppress chakra. The 'life chakra' he created when mixing the worlds energy with his own was extraordinarily powerful; powerful enough to beat back opposing chakra.

Hashirama clasped his hands together, and suddenly several pillars erupted from the ground, bearing the heads of dragons. The dragons created a perimeter around the spreading flames. Immediately, Hashirama felt the chakra he expelled from the dragons begin to battle Izuna's chakra within the flames. His victory came without seems. The black flames fought back, but where no match for the nigh-infinite chakra at his disposal. Eventually they were concentrated into a single spot, and then, they vanished.

There was a silence. The silence that comes with victory, and then, there was a roar.

"Hail the Senju brothers!" one erupted.

"Who else could have pulled it off?!"

"We beat the Uchiha! We beat the Uchiha!"

Hashirama and Tobirama gave the men their chance to revel in their victory. It was well deserved. After that had been done, they began the truly grimy work; dealing with the bodies. The bodies of their allies, fifteen of them, were put into coffins that Hashirama made. The bodies of the Uchiha were buried deep in that very battlefield. Hashirama figured that at least there they would have the heat waves to keep them company.

The journey back to the village was laden with a mixture of emotions. Many of the men cheered and laughed. They told stories about their grand escapades during the battle. Many of them spoke about how it had been one on one, them versus one of the Uchiha assassins and how they had barely escaped with their lives.

Those who had lost a friend trudged somberly along.

The villagers, who had been informed of the happenings, had formed a party to meet them. They exploded in cheers. Clan members rushed from the crowd to find their children, brothers and lovers. The common people surrounded Hashirama and Tobirama, praising them for heroic deeds that had not even been revealed yet.

The day was young, so they agreed on having a mass funeral for those who had died; a show of unity. They decided to bury them in the field that they had cremated the mother of the Senju brothers. Ninja funerals were usually short, succinct and matter-of-fact. This one was no different.

It was decided that later that night they would have their celebration; to celebrate not only their unity, but their surviving their first great ordeal as a group. Before the celebration, Hashirama called the clan heads to his home, which was located at the base of the mountain.

Hashirama, Tobirama, Chuuko and the four clan heads sat at a round table. They enjoyed a small meal, before Hashirama clasped his hands and began.

"I called you here," Hashirama said, "because Tobirama and I decided that mere economic unity isn't enough. What happened today proved that we aren't safe. We may have defeated a small band of Uchiha, but what if this Izuna returns with his whole clan? From our position right now, we'd be crushed. No doubt."

"What do you suggest then?" Hoya asked.

"We're going to form a military union," Tobirama said, rubbing a large white fur around his neck. "The warriors of the clans will all become part of a single fighting unit led by us."

"You're going to far," Hoya said. "You want us to hand over our fighters? This needs to slow down."

"Tobirama and I understand that the clans want to remain clans," Hashirama said. "We would do nothing to try and strip the clans of their sovereignty. But, if this economic union is to thrive, then a military union has to be made. As of now, while your fighters can certainly fight, they aren't equipped for battling together and completing a common goal. A simple militia unit won't stop the Uchiha if they come back."

"It makes sense to me," Peko said.

"Well it doesn't to me," said Tenpi, the Yamanaka leader. "If we just hand over our forces, what stops you from becoming dictators?"

"How dare you?" Chuuko asked. "Hashirama and Tobirama would never do such a-"

"Its okay," Hashirama said. "That's valid question. Yes, as clan heads you will have to relinquish a bit of your power over your men, but in exchange we'll give you a new power. We've decided its best to create a council; consisting of the very people at this table. Power is split evenly amongst the council, and the council has to decide on any course of military action to be taken."

"I'm still not sure," Tenpi said. "A clan head who doesn't have complete control of his fighters? Its unheard of."

"Well, what choice do you have?" Sasuke asked. "We're in some real confusing shit. We've got to adapt to survive. If we try to cling to old traditional ways, everything we've created is gonna fall part. And then we're all doomed. Of course, you could always opt out and go out on your own. But Uchiha don't forget, and they know there were Yamanaka clan members in the group that beat them. They'll hunt you down."

Tenpi was silent.

"I hope you understand that I'm not trying to muscle anyone," Hashirama said. "We're doing this because we have to. Also, to make sure the power balance remains stable, the most experienced members of each clan will help with training the soldiers. Chuuko will write up a contract with a term of one year. On the first day of spring next year, we'll decide where to go again."

"Well," Peko began. "What do we call this new organization?"

"Obvious isn't it?" Sasuke said. "From this day forward … we're the Senju Clan!"

**Authors Speaking: **Longest chapter yet, in quick succession too. Read, enjoy and REVIEW!


	7. Chapter 7

**A ****Thousand Hands**

******Summary****: **The rise and fall of the man who moved nations; Senju Hashirama.

******Disclaimer: **Naruto Series is not mine

**Arc Three: **Brothers and Rivals

**Chapter Seven**

"_Silent the old town …_

_the scent of flowers_

_floating …_

_And evening bell"_

_- Matsuo Basho_

Hashirama spent his little time for breakfast morning glory gazing. He stood on the roof of his home, now revamped into a two story tower, and watched the sun creep its way towards heaven. It was a beautiful tapestry without seems. The golds, yellows and reds of the morning sky seeped into the trees within and around the village to create the illusion of a flame fluttering back and forth in the wind.

The town was silent, for the most part. It was fast approaching summer now, so the scent of flowers floated in the air like a pleasant distraction. With each inhalation Hashirama let a powerful euphoria take over him. From his position he could not see the four corners of the village, which amazed him. Briefly he considered climbing up the mountain.

"Hashi …" Tobirama said from behind him. "They're here."

Tobirama grabbed Hashirama by the hand and pulled him to his feet. The two stood in silence for a moment admiring the view and taking in the fresh air and their months of hard labor.

The village had continued to expand, just like Tobirama had thought it would. The day after their encounter with the Uchiha clan the village had been invaded by merchants. Traders came from far and wide to take their share of the growing pie of money. Since then, Hashirama and Tobirama had stayed mostly out of the economies way and tried to build up their military forces.

There was no doubting that the 'Senju Clan', for now, was horribly inefficient.

"They lack incentives," Tobirama said. "Your grand speeches rile them up for a while, but then after a week, they start to remember that they're serving in an army for free … those with clan relations are bad, but the non-affiliated ones are just as bad. There's no reason to try hard."

Along with waves of merchants came waves of bandits. Many had foolishly tried to plunder wealth and had been dealt with mercilessly. Those that saw the devastation from the shadows offered to join the army in order to benefit from the wealth. Hashirama had found a place for them.

Along with the bandits had come clans trying to get their share of the wealth. The council had resoundingly denied them for the simple fact that they were without worth. Unlike the existing clans in the village, most of the clans trying to join were mostly battle orientated and had no civilian capabilities. For one reason or another, they were rejected.

Now, a similar dilemma lead Hashirama to his office, where the Council was sitting at a round table.

"Chuuko, representative of the civilian populace, reporting."

"Sasuke, for the Sarutobi, at your service."

"Tenpi, leader of the Yamanaka clan, here."

"Hoya, head of the Akimichi clan, here."

"Peko, representing the Nara clan, here."

"Tobirama and Hashirama," Hashirama said, "heads of the military, reporting."

"So," Sasuke said, stretching back and yawning loudly. "What brings us here at the break of dawn?"

Hashirama reached into his clothes and pulled out two scrolls. He laid them down gently in front of him and crossed his hands.

"Two more clans are trying to gain access into the Senju clan," Hashirama said. "The Aburame clan and the Inuzuka clan. The two clans have historically very close ties, and applied together. That makes me think that they would fit in well with our system. Both clans are mostly fighters. They usually work with 'animal partners'. The Aburame work with a special kind of bug, while the Inuzuka work with dogs."

"What else can they do?" Tenpi asked.

"Nothing," Tobirama said. "Both clans make a living doing ninja duties."

"Then we can't take them," Chuuko said. "Its the same problem with the other clans. If we allow them to join the clan, then that would mean two full clans of purely battling warriors. They can't make any profit for the village, and we would have to feed them all out of our pockets!"

"That is an understandable problem," Hashirama said, "but not one we can't try to find a way to fix. The Aburame and Inuzuka … they're special. Their clan skills give them great advantages over other ninjas. For instance, the Aburame's special bug, the Kikaichu, are very hard to detect and can send information over long distances. Basically, they could make our village impossible to surprise."

"And the Inuzuka are just as impressive," Tobirama said. "They accompany themselves with a special breed of dog with chakra enhanced senses. They can hunt down anyone, and their battle prowess is astounding. It would make defecting from our military alliance almost impossible."

"That doesn't solve the problem," Chuuko said.

"It also brings up another problem," Peko said. "I usually agree with you two but … bringing in two clans with the specific purpose of being our village's defenders and our military's enforcers is dangerous. If they work together, they could control the village with that kind of power."

"I reject them no matter what!" Hoya said. "I refuse to split power even smaller throughout the council."

"I agree," Tenpi said. "Yamanaka men aren't going to be battling on the behalf of Aburames and Inuzukas."

"Well there you have it," said Sasuke. "Hoya and Tenpi are power hungry fools … while Peko and Chuuko make valid points. I agree with them. First, we can't afford to feed two whole clans of warriors who can't make their own damn money. Secondly, with the clan set up as it is now, they would have too much political power. I say we deny them."

"I understand all that," Hashirama said. "I didn't call you here to try and force their clans on us. I called this meeting to ask you all to think! As a military union, the Senju Clan isn't efficient. Soldiers have no motivation to be good soldiers except for free food and shelter. In the end, its only dragging our village down. We need to think of something else."

"There isn't anything else," Hoya said. "The only option is that the soldiers are returned to their clans. But like you said yourself, militia groups won't be able to stop the Uchiha if they come back?"

"Have you considered," Tobirama began, "that the Uchihas won't come back? After all, its been four months, we're nearing summer now and we still haven't been harassed."

"But if we go back to the old system and they _do_ come," Tenpi said, "then we'll be decimated."

"Yeah, it is a difficult situation," Hashirama said. "Which is why Tobirama and I need your help. We'll talk again in three weeks. Talk with your most trusted men, maybe even your entire clans … what could make this clan work better? Thank you ..."

Tobirama left with Peko. Hashirama brewed himself some tea to calm his nerves when they left. He hated Council meetings. It was almost impossible to get anything done because of their conflicting nature; it was very inefficient. The Senju Clan had come to reflect the Council that it served. That would have to change if they were to move forward.

"Lord Hashirama," a guard said, peaking open the door of his office. "There is a nobleman here to see you."

"A nobleman?"

"Yes," the guard assured him. "A nobleman from River Country."

"Escort him in," Hashirama said.

Hashirama quickly put away his tea and tidied up what he could. He had never met a nobleman before, and despite the fact that they had come to meet him, he could not help but feel somewhat star struck and nervous. Within minutes, the guard opened the door again and a man walked through. He was dressed in long robes of silk and was followed closely by two ninja body guards that looked hardly worth paying for.

The nobleman bowed, and Hashirama stood and bowed slightly.

"I am Tsukai Kazoku," the man said. "I come from River Country seeking your help, Lord Senju."

"Kazoku," Hashirama said, shaking his hand. "Its nice to meet you. Please, call me Hashirama. Would you like anything?"

"Nothing Lord Hashirama," Kazoku said, "except your agreement to employ the Senju clan to a special task."

Hashirama sat him down, and found a place for his guards. Each of the guards was carrying a scroll. One of them laid their scroll down on the table and opened it to reveal a map of the continent. It was very well printed, but the borders looked shoddy at best. Borders on this continent were hard to distinguish. No Daimyo had enough authority to consecrate their country's borders due to the movement of ninjas between borders.

"I come from River Country," Kazoku said, pointing to a fairly large country that acted as a southwestern border between Fire Country and Wind Country. "Our country is rich with rivers and the lush forests and fertile lands that accompany them. For that reason, ninjas are hired by rich nobles to battle over the lands and rivers." He pointed at a small river. "At this very junction, a bloody battle has been taking place at Kikyo Pass."

"And is that what you've come for?" Hashirama asked, unsure of his feelings. "For me fight a bloody battle for you with my men?"

"Yes," Kazoku admitted, "but not for a river, but for the entire country! You see, Lord Hashirama, for several months now the Daimyo of Wind Country has been trying to annex River Country. Wind Country, the largest on the continent, is almost entirely a desert. I'm sure you could see how they would benefit from taking the river rich and forest plentiful River Country. Our Daimyo has tried many times to send hired ninja armies to face off against the Wind Lord's forces, but no one has returned."

Kazoku draw a line over a large chunk of River Country.

"Anyone going beyond this line has died, except for two," Kazoku said. "I sent my man here, Chi and Dai, to scout the enemy forces. It turns out that the Wind Lord has not been using ninja to fight his battles!"

"Then what has he been using" Hashirama asked.

"A Tailed Beast!"

Hashirama had heard of Tailed Beasts before. Tobirama's father, Tamago, had told them stories of how he and a group of men had faced off against the Three-Tailed Beast, Isobu. Tailed Beasts were titanic masses of pure, uncontrollable chakra. Their powers far outmatched any ninjas, and was only slightly tempered by their bestial nature and inability to properly focus their awesome abilities. Quite simply, he found it nearly impossible to believe.

"You don't believe me," Kazoku said, before pulling a small seal out of his robes and placing it on the table.

Immediately, the room was filled with a chakra that was much like a miasma. Hashirama had only felt something like it when facing Izuna and his Amaterasu technique. Before they could chock from the power of the chakra, Hashirama placed his hand on the seal and silenced the demonic energy with his own energy.

"Your men sealed some of its power?" Hashirama asked, already feeling a new respect for the lanky warriors at Kazoku's side.

"With help," Kazoku said. "The seal was made by the Uzumaki Clan, from Whirlpool Country. I approached them first, and they gave me many seals to help with the problem."

Hashirama had heard of the Uzumaki Clan as well. Where the Uchiha Clan's legacy was legendary, the Uzumaki Clan was almost considered a myth. Many stories said they descended from the man who discovered chakra and invented Ninjutsu. Their territory was totally controlled and not in a state of utter chaos like the rest of the continent.

"There's no denying that," Hashirama said. "Only the Uzumaki clan could create such a complex seal. Why didn't they seal the Beast for you?"

"Well … the Uzumaki Clan is a clan of sealers, not of battlers," Kazoku said. "The Wind Lord has been hiring the Uchiha Clan to subdue the One Tailed Beast, Shukaku. Their leader, Madara, has advanced his Sharingan to such a state that he can actually subdue the Tailed Beasts. He makes Shukaku slumber with his eyes and then reawakens it in our cities. He'll do it until the River Lord surrenders the country!"

"This is too much," Hashirama said. "Noblemen, Tailed Beasts, the Uzumaki clan … and the Uchiha. Why did you come to me?"

"When I approached the Uzumaki Clan, they directed me here," Kazoku said. "The whole world knows who you are now, Lord Hashirama. He who bested the Uchiha Clan. Only you can help us."

Hashirama tried not to sink back into his chair. Quite simply, it was too much. Too many details to remember, and simply far too many risks. Then of course, came the simple fact that there was no reason to do it. To be sure, his interest was peaked, but Hashirama prided himself on not being a man who gambled with people's lives. Placing his village's forces against the Uchiha clan by will, and then against a Tailed Beast was of interest to none of them.

"Ten million ryu," Kazoku said. "I'll pay you ten million for this."

"You've planned this well," Hashirama said with narrowed eyes. "How can I trust you?"

Kazoku nodded at one of his men, who promptly placed a suit case on the table and opened it. Inside was ten million ryu. As if to prove a point, the man dug through and grabbed the money by its assorted bundles and counted it out.

"Would you mind waiting outside?" Hashirama asked.

As soon as the three were outside, Tobirama scaled in through the window.

"You heard?" Hashirama asked.

"All of it," Tobirama said. "I'm somewhat skeptical, but I think we should proceed with it. Ten million ryu is a hefty sum, brother. With ten million ryu we would be able to fund the Senju clan for several months without having to worry about taking from the village treasury. That would give us some leverage over the Council in dealing with incoming clans."

"It would, but how do we convince the Council to go along with it?" Hashirama asked. "Chuuko might agree with us, but the other four won't risk their soldiers for the sake of money they can't pillage."

"This … is perfect," Tobirama said, his face brightening up. "Don't you see, brother? We don't need to use the Senju army for this mission. We can hire the Aburame and the Inuzuka clans; we gave them one million a clan. This way we can gain their loyalty, make an incredible profit, not have to deal the Council, and most importantly, not put the clan itself at risk."

Hashirama sighed. "You're so cold," he said.

"You have the heart," Tobirama said, smirking, "I have the ruthlessness. I'll go collect the Aburame and Inuzuka."

Tobirama slipped out through the window and Hashirama called Kazoku and his men back in. As if already knowing he would accept, one of the men laid the suitcase down on the table and slid it over to Hashirama. Hashirama grabbed the suitcase by the handle and slipped it underneath his desk. Kazoku's face lit up with excitement.

"You accept then!" Kazoku said. "Perfect! Now, it has been about one week since Shukaku destroyed the last River Country city. The beast is still slumbering there … if you move quickly, within the next week or so, you'll be able to get there as Madara and the Uchiha clan are reaching the city. Take this scroll."

The other minion placed the unopened scroll on Hashirama's desk and rolled it open slightly to reveal a complex array of seals and markings that Hashirama could not even begin to understand. There was a large black dot in the center of the parchment, and seals expanded from that remote blackness both symmetrically and fluidly, creating the illusion of a spiral of seals with no end to its black, unfathomable, depth.

"This," Kazoku said, "is the seal given to me by the Uzumaki clan … but on a much larger scale. If you can subdue Shukaku with your chakra, like you did with that tag earlier, then you'll be able to confine the Beast inside this seal. It will stay in there, as long as small amounts of your chakra is constantly provided … may I know your plan?"

"Of course not," Hashirama said, grinning mischievously. "Until the mission is complete, you and your men can lodge in the village. There are many prestigious inns in this area that would love to have you."

"Of course, Lord Senju," Kazoku said as he stood and bowed. "Good luck on your journey."

The three vanished, leaving Hashirama alone with his thoughts. A plan, he thought, it would be good to have a plan. Hashirama retrieved a pen and pulled the map of the continent closer. For a second, he was lost in the grand detail of it. They lived in such a big world, he thought. Finally, he put his focus on the part of River Country now in the control of Wind Country.

The land was fairly vast, and for a second Hashirama wondered how they would find Shukaku and the Uchiha clan. He quickly worked his way around that obstacle; the Aburame and Inuzuka clans were trackers, and would have no problem finding a large group of men. Also, his chakra sensing abilities had multiplied in the past months, so finding a collection of colossal chakra would not be so hard. But, then came the part of fighting the Uchiha.

Admittedly, the idea made Hashirama slightly nervous. He had seen the prowess of Izuna, and could only imagine how powerful Madara would be. But, that was not a cause for alarm. His skills with his Wood Style techniques had multiplied a thousand fold. They had advanced to the point that using Earth Style and Water Style techniques was nearly obsolete for him.

Eventually, Hashirama got tired of thinking and headed out. The village barely noticed that he was walking about. Shops and homes were being built, roads were being paved, and trades were being discussed. Just some months ago, he had thought that the expansion was over. He saw now that it was far from over. The village was moving so quickly that Hashirama was almost scared that it would never stop expanding.

Sensing Tobirama arriving with two familiar chakra signatures, Hashirama abandoned his gawking and left for home. He met the trio just as they reached his front door. One of the men, Inuzuka Koga, was a feral looking man with wild black hair and red markings underneath his eyes. Right beside Koga was a dog as tall as his hip, and longer than he was tall. The other man, Aburame Kageru, was hidden by a pair of sunglasses and a thick woolen hat.

"Hashirama!" Koga said brightly. "I hear you're looking to pay me good!"

"I've got a lot for you," Hashirama said with a wide grin. "Come in. We'll talk inside."

Hashirama explained the mission, or at least the part they would be involved in, over a meal. Koga, easily enticed by the thought of the fortune his clan would be getting and the thought battling Uchiha, quickly accepted the offer. Kageru, silent through the briefing, was much more cautious.

"One million ryu?" Kageru asked. "Its a hefty sum. But what else?"

"Your application to the village will be considered again," Tobirama said for Hashirama. "The Clan Council has denied both of your applications. There's no changing their minds, not until the Aburame and Inuzuka can prove that they'll be useful to the clan."

" … accepted," Kageru said.

"I like to hear it!" Hashirama proclaimed, standing. "We'll leave in three days. We'll need to travel in large enough numbers to be formidable, but small enough to move quickly. One hundred men should do. We'll provide thirty three of our finest. Can I expect the same from you?"

"Thirty two plus me?" Koga asked. "No sweat. The Inuzuka Clan has hundreds of warriors."

"Agreed," Kageru said.

The Council was informed the next day. As Hashirama had expected, there was some backlash. But there was nothing they could do. Hashirama personally hired the thirty three finest ninjas he could find, thereby bypassing the Council altogether. The next two days or so were spent gathering supplies. Food proved to be a problem. The mission might take several days, and by then, much of the food would have spoiled. With Kazoku's help, Hashirama was able to identify various spots along Fire Country and River Country where food for a hundred men could be attained.

On the day to leave, Hashirama stood alone in his office. In a glass case in front of him was a black fighting suit surrounded by red armor. The outfit was the brain child of the Akimichi and Sarutobi clans. By mixing the skin tight body suits of the Sarutobi clan with the lightweight, plated armors of the Akimichi clan, they had created a very unique looking uniform. On the shoulder plates was the insignia of the Senju Clan.

Hashirama donned the armor and sheathed the Kusanagi firmly to his hip. He and Tobirama exchanged brief goodbyes before he made his way out of the village and to the field where once the Senju clan had battled the Uchiha clan. Waiting for him there were his thirty three men, dressed in their fine Senju armor.

"Lord Hashirama," they greeted.

Hashirama made a point to greet them individually. It fostered loving and trust.

Within hours a platoon of Aburame men arrived, followed closely by a platoon of Inuzuka men. Hashirama greeted the two clan heads at the center of the field.

"Before we leave," Hashirama said. "Your men have to understand that I'm in charge. Will they follow my lead?"

"No doubt about it," Koga said. "I've been telling them since we left that you'll be running the show."

"I did the same," Kageru said.

Hashirama had the three factions gather together. At his suggestion, the men intermingled. There was a powerful tension in the air. It was the kind of tension that came with professionals being forced to work with other professionals.

"Senjus! Aburames! Inuzukas!" Hashirama said, standing in front of them. "We've gathered here … in order to complete a deadly mission. But, the mission only serves a greater purpose. Our real goal here is to foster good faith between our clans, so that one day we can all become one. Until the day we are one, we can fight together as brothers in arms-"

Hashirama kept the speech short. It was just enough to rile the men up without getting them too excited. The battle was almost half a week away and they would need to save their energy. After the theatrics, he went about organizing the men. Despite his speech about fostering brotherhood, practicality was the main issue. Aburames and Inuzukas worked together, while Senjus worked together. Each faction was split into three groups, creating nine total groups.

A single Yamanaka clan member was placed in every group, such that their telepathic communication would benefit the small army.

The march began at noon. They moved southwest in a wave so fast one might have thought they were the blowing wind. The sight of them caused terror throughout the country side. Entire villages scrambled to flee into their homes at the sight of the small army, until they saw the insignia of the Senju Clan and returned outside with foodstuffs and open hands for money.

"They love you," Kageru said to Hashirama.

"They love the wealth I bring," Hashirama said to him.

They were not so adored when arriving in River Country. The people, even more than those in Fire Country, absolutely feared ninjas. They took to traveling at night to avoid large mobs of angry civilians who tried to challenge them. Koga and Kageru had both seethed at the thought of avoiding civilians. 'Like cowards', they had said. Hashirama had logically convinced them by explaining that they could not afford to draw attention to themselves. It would be horrible for the Uchiha clan to find them before they found the Uchiha clan.

The course was charted soon after their entrance into River Country. Hashirama's chakra senses had pointed them directly southward towards the city of Shita. Very soon, the Aburame clan had grown nervous as their Kikaichu bugs began to buzz nervously at the feel of the sinister mass of chakra that slumbered in the city.

"Where are those bugs anyway?" Hashirama had asked.

"Under my skin," Kageru had replied, making Hashirama and surrounding people go pale.

The city of Shita was both expanded, and destroyed. A mile from the city limits outlined on the map, Hashirama's platoon started to shift through _sand. _It was an inexplicable phenomenon. After crossing a river, they were met with a forest that was inch deep in sand. As they got closer to the city, the sand grew thicker and began to whip and lash as if they were in the heart of Wind Country. The city, obscured by the moving sand, was soon within sight. Hashirama scaled the city's defensive wall along with Koga and Kageru.

"No way," Koga said. "The whole city's flattened!"

"The power of a Tailed Beast," Kageru said with actual inflection in his voice.

The entire city was indeed flattened. The streets were now covered completely in dunes of sand. Only the tallest buildings protruded through the blanket of sand. At the very center of Shita, Hashirama could feel an astounding amount of chakra. He tried to find a limit to its depths, but was overwhelmed. The mountain of chakra was surrounded by tinier blots of chakra.

"The Uchihas are already here," Hashirama said.

"At that mountain?" Koga asked, pointing to the massive brown figure in the distance.

Near Shukaku's, Hashirama felt another chakra signature. It was large, maybe as large as his own. However … it was sinister. Where Shukaku's chakra was simply wild and even angry, this chakra had an feeling evil about it.

"There are one hundred Uchihas," Hashirama said. "They're split in groups of ten. They've surrounded the Tailed Beast. One of them is facing it directly."

"Sure your feeling that right?" Koga asked. "Your senses must be off."

"They're fine," Hashirama said. "Anyway, we've got the advantage. They're preoccupied with Shukaku. We'll surround them. I'll face the leader and see if he's willing to surrender."

The nine groups spread out silently, using the telepathic union of their Yamanaka guides to move in unison. The groups used the surviving buildings to cover themselves. Hashirama moved right down the center of the city. Soon, he was standing on top of the highest surviving building. A massive sight was his to behold. The mountain that Koga had mentioned earlier was Shukaku. It was a sandy-brown color, covered in thousands of illegible purple markings all over its form.

Shukaku seemed to be sleeping, as it made no movements. Standing in front of Shukaku's snout was a tiny little dot of man with long black hair tinted blue, and fan strapped to his back. The man turned on a pivot, and looked up at Hashirama before crossing his arms. Hashirama nearly cringed at the sinister feel of his chakra; no doubt this was Uchiha Madara. Hashirama could feel the man's Sharingan eyes taking note of him. Their eyes met briefly, before Hashirama leaped down and stepped forward to meet him.

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" Madara asked.

Hashirama could see the Uchiha men in the distance. They seemed to have symmetrically surrounded Shukaku, no doubt preparing to seal it.

"Speak!" Madara said. "Or would you prefer to die with your words in your throat."

"I'm Senju Hashirama," Hashirama said. "And you're Madara?"

"Senju …" Madara said, narrowing his eyes.

Madara felt a hot anger boil in his belly at merely hearing the name. It was an instinctive, primal rage that he could not understand. Despite that blinding rage, he knew he had heard that name before. Senju, he thought. Senju … the hot feeling in his belly was suddenly replaced by a cool feeling of relief, the kind of relief that comes with most eager thoughts of vengeance.

"Yes, Senju," Madara said. "You're the one who humiliated Izuna. He spoke highly of you. I thought you would be dead."

"What made you think that?" Hashirama asked.

"He used Amaterasu on you," Madara said. "Yet, you're still alive. How shameful that some commoner could survive the ultimate Fire Technique. So … Senju, is it? … have you come here to try to best the Uchiha clan again. Be sure, I don't share Izuna's gentle heart. I'll take great pleasure in gutting you here."

"Actually Madara," Hashirama said. "I was hoping to avoid a fight. Just like you, I'm here to take that Tailed Beast. No one has to get hurt if you and your men just leave."

Madara looked at the poor fool incredulously, before placing his hand on his stomach and exploding with laughter.

"You're funny," Madara said. "I'll give you that Senju. This prize is mine, and so is your head."

"You're outnumbered and surrounded," Hashirama said, partly lying. "Swallow your pride and retreat."

Hashirama could feel a certain kind of excitement boiling in the pit of his stomach. He could feel the power radiating off Madara. It scared a small, helpless part of him. But, the rest of him was sweating with anticipation. He had never faced someone of such power and with such lethal intent. He shamefully admitted to himself that he was excited to test his limits against this powerful new foe.

"Fine by me," Madara said, unsheathing his metal war fan. "Your one thousand Senjus versus my one hundred Uchihas. Let's dance!"

They met almost instantly in a clash of steel. The Kusanagi and the war fan went bright with sparks of fire. Neither could gain ground. Hashirama pulled back and struck again. Madara blocked with his free hand on the back of the fan.

"Return!" Madara said.

An explosive gust of wind shot through the fan. Hashirama was blown back. He flipped and landed on his feet, and moved to intercept Madara's downwards strike.

"Extend!" Hashirama said.

The Kusanagi extended through the air, nearly piercing Madara through the heart. Madara back-flipped to avoid and landed solidly on his feet, planting his war fan in the earth. Hashirama crowded him with a series of spinning and straight forward kicks. Madara parried with his forearms before crouching and trying to kick Hashirama's feet out from under him. Hashirama leaped back.

All around them, the war had begun. Fire balls and streams of all sizes made the air sizzle, while Hashirama's forces retaliated with a variety of deadly attacks at all ranges. Soon, the fighting spread to the surrounding buildings, sending rubble and sand flying and whipping through the air and obscuring the vision of the fighters.

"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song!" Madara said.

The Uchiha inhaled deeply before expelling a series of massive fire balls that transformed into dragon heads. With a single swing of his fan, Madara made the dragon heads suddenly roar and grow in size. Hashirama nimbly dodged one of them. The head crashed into the sand around them with tremendous force and immediately transformed the sand into hardened glass.

The dragon heads maneuvered through the air at Madara's whim. Soon, Hashirama was surrounded as two came descending from the skies like gods from heaven and the other two cut off his escape on the ground.

"Wood Style: Wood Locking Dome!"

Pillars of wood erupted from the earth and locked around him in all directions. The dragon heads slammed into the walls with amazing force and heat. The dome held briefly, but before Hashirama could think to escape, Madara erupted through the front of the dome and attempted to crush him with the war fan.

Hashirama parried with the Kusanagi, sending the war fan crashing into the earth before punching Madara squarely in the jaw. The Uchiha crashed through the collapsing wood and skidded through the dirt outside.

Hashirama descended on him with the Kusanagi, which screeched for blood.

"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" Madara said.

Without hand seals, but rather a swing of his fan, Madara sent a powerful gust of wind to catch Hashirama in the air. Hashirama landed firmly on his feet and fell into stance. A thick sweat was dripping down his cheeks, and the two stood momentarily to regain their breaths.

"You're impressive, Senju," Madara said.

"Wood Style: Threefold Wood Shield!"

Three round boards of wood formed into a single shield on Hashirama's left forearm. Hashirama charged. The war fan and the wood shield clashed. Hashirama swung the Kusanagi from behind his wooden defense.

Madara pulled his fan back, blocking both shield and sword. Hashirama pressured down, attempting to bring him to his knees. The war fan came to life. A powerful stream of wind lifted Hashirama into the air. Madara made one hand seal.

"Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction!"

Madara released an intense mass of fire with a single breath. The flames roared forward, large enough to consume an entire army and hot enough to turn steel into butter. The air sizzled and popped. Madara felt the rage in his gut at facing the Senju increase. With it, increased the power of the technique. Without warning the flames went from orange to a startling white that was so hot that Madara felt his throat begin to burn.

"Wood Style: Cocoon of Mother's Womb!"

Hashirama wrapped his hands around himself. They extended around him in all direction in the form of wood. The cocoon, within seconds, was three feet thick on all sides. The flames launched the tiny ball of wood higher into the air. Hashirama sweltered at the feeling of the heat.

The flames dissipated, and a ball of wood landed in the sand, throbbing like a sore from the heat. The Kusanagi erupted from the ball. Madara dodged, and Hashirama emerged from the cocoon like a rising phoenix.

"Wood Style: Smothering Binding!"

Hashirama's free arm transformed into a branch. The arm stretched and split. Dozens of wooden tendrils hunted Madara down. Madara knocked back many of them with his fan. Hashirama gritted his teeth in concentration. Madara leaped into the air, making hand seals. A tendril caught his foot and whipped him against the ground.

Hashirama roared as his arm retracted. The Kusanagi stood ready to draw blood.

Madara twisted his body in midair. The Kusanagi missed his heart. Instead it left a deep gash on his shoulder. Suddenly, the two were face to face. Hashirama caught a brief glimpse of Madara's Sharingan rearranging itself. The three comma marks extended and locked onto each other, and the wider ends opened. Instantly, the world went black.

Then it went red. Hashirama struggled to move, but his body was weighed down by chains that had no limit to their weight. The sky was a ruby color, and everything else, even the massive moon, was black. In front of Hashirama was Madara, his hands crossed and looking down triumphantly at his trapped enemy.

"Beautiful isn't it," Madara asked. "My world of dreams."

Hashirama struggled to move, but again his body did not respond.

"There's no use," Madara said, smirking. He opened his arms wide. "Amaterasu is the ultimate Ninjutsu technique, representing the light of the physical. This is Tsukuyomi, the ultimate Genjutsu technique. It represents the darkness of the spiritual world. In the confines of this technique, I am God. All matter, time and space are in my control for the next seventy two hours."

Madara drew a sword from nowhere. He cut Hashirama slightly on the face. Genjutsu or not, Hashirama felt the stinging pain of the blade. It came again. It was faster this time, stronger, and in the shoulder. Hashirama resisted screaming. Again, this time a pierce, through the shoulder. The blade slid it out slowly. It cut the meat and the bone without discrimination.

Hashirama reached within, trying to get a hold of his chakra.

"It useless," Madara said, his mouth to Hashirama's ear. "Normally, fluctuating your chakra would break a Genjutsu. Tsukuyomi can't be broken like that. Only an Uchiha with eyes as powerful as mine can break out of this technique."

Madara pulled away, took a deep breath and exhaled a stream of black flames. The flames were intensely painful, but worked slowly. They first chewed away at Hashirama's skin, and then his meat, and then his bones. When his entire body was reduced to but a puddle of once human mass, he was reformed and it started again. It continued for hours, maybe days.

"Twenty six hours and fifteen minutes have passed," Madara said with a bored tone of voice. "In the real world, not even a second has passed. Now do you grasp my power, Senju?"

It was the voice that brought Hashirama back to his mental senses, which had been almost lost through the pain. His real body still remained, unharmed. He stretched his senses. Beyond the walls of Madara's controlled world he could feel the energy of the universe flowing around him, waiting to be called. He grabbed that energy, and it came bursting through him suddenly and without warning.

Madara's blood red world was suddenly pierced by a blinding green light. The light pierced through the sky. The light engulfed them both, and within seconds the real world returned. It was still dusty, and still broken by the sounds of screaming men and of clashing steel.

Hashirama fell to his knees. His muscles twitched. He was sweating profusely. He faded in and out of darkness. His remaining bit of sanity reached out and pulled natures energy closer to him. It healed him, calmed him and comforted him. The muscles twitched less, his temperature dropped and the world started to become clear.

Madara stared at the man on his knees before him with not the slightest bit of awe.

"You shattered Tsukuyomi," Madara said, mostly to himself. He raised his war fan. "But it too, has shattered you!"

Madara brought the fan down like a hammer. Hashirama deftly blocked with the Kusanagi. They struggled briefly, but Hashirama's strength returned to him and he threw Madara off. Hashirama wiped the sweat from his brow, and scanned the battle field. He realized that he had let this fight go too far. It was time to end it.

"Wood Style: World of Trees!"

Instantly the entire world was uprooted. The sea of desert was, in just seconds, engulfed by an ocean of branches, trunks and roots. The remaining buildings in the area were smashed, and the blinding glare of the sun was soon replaced by the cool shade provided by Hashirama's new world. Madara stood in front of Shukaku's mouth, just outside of the range of the world of trees.

"This technique is something like your Tsukuyomi," Hashirama said from atop a giant root. "Inside the confines of this forest, I am a god!"

"I'll burn it to the ground!" Madara said.

Hashirama's sprung to life and extended the trees as one would extend an arm. Dozens of thick branches instantly converged on Madara. Madara deftly avoided, using his fan to break their momentum. A tree lurched forward, smacking Madara out of the sky. He landed with a thud and a shattered arn. The branches and trees descended to offer final judgment.

The force of the impact cracked the ground. Hashirama immediately felt that he had not succeeded.

When the branches cleared, Madara, bleeding profusely from the mouth and eyes, was surrounded by a thick blue chakra that formed into what seemed to be a spine and ribcage around him. In a matter of moments the chakra thickened and took form. When Madara stood, so too did his guardian deity. The chakra figurine was a beast of immense height, almost as tall as Hashirama's abnormally giant trees. From its head protruded a single spike, and two spikes came from its chin. The beast had four hands, two of them wielding curved blades of pure chakra.

Madara seethed beneath his breath; it was a shame to be forced to resort to this. He could feel the technique killing him as it protected him. Every cell in his body screamed for release as the beast ate away at his chakra.

"This is Susanoo," Madara said. "Susanoo is the guardian deity of the Uchiha clan, and only available to those who have mastered Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi. Feel its wrath!"

Madara swung his massive swords, cleaving through oncoming trunks. Roots grabbed Susanoo's legs. Madara jumped into the air. A tree trunk slammed into Susanoo's chest. Madara landed on his giant feet of chakra. Madara's Susanoo cleaved away at the encompassing world of trees and the two free hands made seals.

"Great Fire Annihilation!" Madara yelled.

Madara released an extremely wide stream of flames that fed itself from Susanoo's body. The flames engulfed the wood. Hashirama pushed further. More trees erupted from the ground, more roots, more energy. The fire was silenced before it began to roar.

"Madara, you're defeated-"

"Fool!" Madara said, spitting as he spoke. "I am the God of War! I crushed the Fuuma Clan single-handed. You won't defeat me!"

"Listen!" Hashirama said. There was silence "Listen! Don't you hear the quiet. My world of trees has consumed your Uchiha fighters or forced them to run. You can't win!"

"Damn you!" Madara said, upon hearing the deafening silence. The sounds of clashing steel and screaming men were gone, replaced by an eerie quiet. He could feel the remaining Senju fighters lurking in the wooded wonderland. Madara's vision blurred, and he cursed.

"Well done, Senju Hashirama," Madara said. "Well done. You've beaten me. But there's a single flaw to your plan." With a single movement he hacked away at a line of trees blocking his vision of the sky. "Only I can sedate the Tailed Beast. You'll be buried here!"

Madara leaped through the hole in the foliage, and was gone.

Before Hashirama could think to pursue him, a shrill shriek pierced the silence and shook the Senju association to its bones. A thick, powerful cloud of chakra emanated from the mass of sand and flesh at the center of the forest. The power was so thick that Hashirama could feel members of his forces choking, literally choking, at the mere presence of it.

"I am awake!" Shukaku screeched, standing on its four legs taller than the world of trees.

It swept its paw across the trees in front of it. Hashirama leaped away to avoid a powerful trail of destruction that destroyed a line of his trees. The Tailed Beast found him immediately. Hashirama's chocolate eyes met for a moment with the black and gold eyes of the Beast, and he felt Shukaku's powerful chakra challenge his own.

"Human! A powerful human! I will kill you!"


	8. Chapter 8

AThousand Hands

Summary:The rise and fall of the man who moved nations; Senju Hashirama.

Disclaimer:Naruto Series is not mine

Arc Three:Brothers and Rivals

**Chapter Eight**

"_White cloud of mist_

_Above white_

_Cherry-blossoms …_

_Dawn-shining mountains"_

_-Basho_

"I'll kill you all!"

Shukaku's shrill voice resonated through the hot air, melding with the heat waves of the sun and beating down on the Senju organization that cowered in the trees. The voice pierced their souls, and the weaker men shook with a powerful fear that they could not contain even in the face of humiliation in the eyes of their brethren in arms.

"Retreat!" Hashirama said, breaking them from their paralysis of fear. "Get away from the beast!"

It was too late for some.

Shukaku raised a single paw and swiped it across an area of foliage. The trees attempted to converge and defend the men, but the creature's arm burst into tendrils of sand that captured the terrified soldiers in its grip and crushed them mercilessly.

"I said retreat!" Hashirama said as a single tree rose underneath his feet, bringing him at a height to match the beast. It cackled furiously as it continued to swipe away at those not fast enough to escape its grasp.

Hashirama took a moment to breath. He stretched his power to nearly its limit, gathering energy from the surrounding world to mix with his own. The power filled him quickly, and rapidly, for the universe seemed eager to silence Shukaku before its poisonous chakra could spread and kill all that was pure and natural.

"Earth Style: Golem's Grip!"

The earth around Shukaku was torn asunder as massive hands of rock, stone and dirt erupted from hell to grab onto its body. Shukaku laughed heinously before shaking off the entrapment the way a horse would shake flies from its body.

Shukaku pulled its head into the air, bringing its clawed front hands off the ground and opening its mouth to reveal a cavernous darkness like a cave. Immediately the beast began to inhale so loudly and so powerfully that it seemed to take in all of the oxygen in the world. Shukaku raised its hands and slammed them against its belly, releasing a ball of air so concentrated that it was visible to the human eye. The massive ball of air chakra hurtled through the air like a meteor.

Hashirama forced the tree he was standing on to suddenly twist itself. He fell immediately into it and the tree coiled itself around him like a snake to make a powerful cocoon of wood. The air bullet slammed into the tree with enough force to bend it back, but not enough to break it. With a single movement of the hands, Hashirama forced the tree to uncoil and launch like a cobra.

The tree sharpened to a point before striking Shukaku in the throat, piercing right through. Immediately several other trees did the same, making Shukaku subject to multiple puncture wounds in a matter of seconds.

Not phased, the beast simply made its body softer and melted out of the range of the trees.

"You can't kill me!" Shukaku said, like a rabid dog given a voice. "I kill you! I kill you!"

Tendrils of sand erupted from all around Shukaku's body. They rushed towards Hashirama like angry tentacles. Several branches met them half way in the air. At once, it became a battle of excesses. Hashirama struggled to keep up with the ever multiplying tendrils of sand. Without warning one of them caught him, piercing through his armor and striking him in the chest.

Hashirama broke the tendril and leaped away, feeling blood trickle from the wound in his chest. His armor shattered and fell uselessly to the ground.

"Your blood! Your blood!" Shukaku shrieked. "Bleed more! For me! Bleed for me!"

"Hashirama!" Koga yelled from a distance away, but moving closer. "We have to run. This mission ain't worth it!"

"No," Hashirama said, standing and ripping off his shirt to reveal the wound on his chest. The blood had stopped, for the wound was already closing as Hashirama's chakra melded the break in his skin. "The Senju clan doesn't back down so easily."

"Wood Style: Flowering Impalement!"

A single spike of wood erupted from the ground underneath Shukaku and, in an instant, pierced through its soft underbelly. Before Shukaku could melt away from the blow, thousands of wooden spikes erupted from the epicenter and impaled the beast from the inside out. A single spike protruded from its mouth, silencing it. Shukaku hovered from the ground, like a hog awaiting its roasting.

"Wood Style: Bliss Bringing Hands!"

Twelve giant pillars with dragons for heads erupted from the ground, surrounding Shukaku completely in the twelve directions of a clock. The beast attempted to rush its sand between the pillars, but was stopped by a powerful barrier of chakra that allowed no exit.

Hashirama sat cross legged within the barrier with the scroll given to him by Kazoku unraveled in front of him to reveal the thousands of intricately written seals that the Uzumaki clan had gifted their organization with. The wood impaling Shukaku was suddenly crushed by the force of the beast hardening its immense body. Giant chunks of wood fell, and many might have crushed Hashirama but could not bypass the barrier of chakra.

"Fool!" Shukaku shrieked. "I said bleed!"

The beast tried to move, but could not.

"You can't use any of your chakra, Shukaku," Hashirama said. "We are locked together now, in mortal combat. I will suppress you! I will seal you! If I fail, then I'll die here!"

Hashirama could feel the strain of his chakra battling with Shukaku's. Their energies met in a clash of purple and green. It was not a battle of wits, nor a battle of pride. It was a battle of brute, unrefined power. Shukaku was a mountain, its power irrefutable and immovable. But, Hashirama was an ocean, for his power was infinite and could erode even the most immovable mountain.

"No!" Shukaku shrieked, suddenly. "Release me! Let me go! I don't wanna go! No! No!"

Hashirama's power suddenly engulfed Shukaku like a tsunami. The beast's physical form suddenly began to erode and blur. Its screams were dulled down to a mere whisper as it was engulfed in a whirlpool of Hashirama's chakra and sank into the sea. Suddenly, Shukaku was gone, and the seals on the Uzumaki scroll were glowing a bright red and orange. They cooled. Hashirama closed the scroll.

Hashirama could feel Shukaku trying to break free, and was thus forced to trickle his own chakra into the scroll to keep it suppressed.

Koga and Kageru arrived immediately, soon followed by the other men. There was a great rush of cheer as they realized without warning that they had won. They had bested the Uchiha clan once again, and had defeated a Tailed Beast.

"So fearless," Kageru said to Hashirama, "in the face of almost certain death. How?"

"I call it the Will of Fire," Hashirama said. "Remember it, for when you have joined the Senju clan it will be the doctrine by which you will live. I have a will like fire to protect that which I love. Today, we made a permanent enemy of the Uchiha clan. If this beast was simply allowed to roam free, then Madara could use it against us."

"You are the man!" Koga said. "No one else could have done it!"

They decided to cremate the men who died on the battlefield. The journey was too long, and their bodies too weary, to carry coffins. At Hashirama's order, they kept the ashes and appropriately labeled them so they could properly send them to the families of the deceased. The journey back home was longer than the journey to, for they stopped more often to tend to their bodies and Hashirama could only move so quickly when constantly streaming his chakra into the scroll.

When they were far enough into Fire Country the Aburame and Inuzuka clans went their separate ways, saying they would send for their cut of the money a later time. The Senju arrivals were greeted graciously by the villagers, who ran immediately to tell others and spread rumors about what little they could glean from the weary and tired warriors.

Before Hashirama could even sit properly in his chair, Tobirama entered and gave him a rather knowing smirk.

"What did you hear?" Hashirama asked.

"Oh … nothing really," Tobirama said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. "Except that you defeated the Uchiha's leader, and then seconds later fought a Tailed Beast and won. All hyperbolized I assume."

"Not a bit actually," Hashirama said after a quick laugh before saying jokingly: "I've left you in the dust, brother."

"Don't be so sure, Hashi," Tobirama said smirking. "I've a got a few tricks that even you haven't seen … yet. Anyway, I sent someone to retrieve Kazoku and his men so they could take their Beast. They were gone. When our best trackers couldn't find them, I went looking myself."

"And you couldn't find them?" Hashirama said.

"They're gone," Tobirama said. "Not only could I not find them, or evidence of their departure, I could not even find evidence that they ever existed. As of now, it seems as if they were figments of our imagination. However, the ten million ryu they gave us is very much still where you left it."

"I figured something like this would happen," Hashirama said. "The scroll they gave can contain Shukaku, but not without me constantly feeding it my chakra at least every ten minutes. If I were to give it to Kazoku, the beast would be free within minutes of him and his men getting the scroll."

"Do you think the scroll is really from the Uzumaki clan?" Tobirama asked.

"It has to be," Hashirama said. "Only the Uzumaki clan could create a scroll this powerful-"

"And this specific," Tobirama said, finishing his brother's thought. "The Uzumaki clan just invited you to go meet them."

"A trap you think?" Hashirama asked.

"Probably not," Tobirama said, shaking his head. "The Uzumaki clan is the most isolated, and maybe the richest and most well protected clan on the continent. There's no motive for them to kill you. And even if it is, what choice do we have? Only they can properly control that beast. You can't keep the scroll here because you'll be putting everyone's lives in danger, and I assume you won't just put it back where you found it."

"I leave today then," Hashirama said.

"No rest for the weary brother," Tobirama said. "Not in this country, anyway."

"Be very alert, Tobi," Hashirama said. "If the Uchiha clan was not our enemy before, they are certain to be now. Madara did not seem like the type to simply get over defeat. Have the army ready to deploy at all times. Also, we need that new system developed soon if we want to become a leaner military."

"I'll have it done. Good luck on your journey," Tobirama said. "And come back in one piece."

Hashirama donned civilian clothing for his outing. It was the dead of night now, and all he had on him was a map of the continent, some money and the scroll containing Shukaku. The Uzumaki clan resided on an island off the eastern coast of Fire Country known was Whirlpool Country. For a normal man it was two weeks away on foot. For a normal ninja it would be three days away when riding the tree tops.

Hashirama needed no rest when calling on nature's energy to sustain. He moved swiftly and constantly, hardly stopping for anything but food and water. Every once in a while, he would stop to help a person in need, or simply to enjoy the beauty of Fire Country. It was a truly aesthetically pleasing land, especially in the summer time. When the sun was rising, the mountains shined of dawn and the dew drops gave land a sense of crispness and freshness.

Hashirama stopped once in a town, it was large enough to be called that, for food. He found out quickly that the town was in the midst of a mob war between two mob factions, the Toad Family and the Snake Family, whose leaders were apparently warring over a woman from the Slug Family who had gambled her way into debt with both of the other families.

Hashirama saw a fight between the two families. Despite neither side possessing any ninja abilities, the fighting was brutal and bloody. It reminded him just how ugly human nature could be. No matter how beautiful the land, it was always stained by the greed of humans. His quick bout of pessimism was crushed when the fighting ended as someone agreed to simply pay for the woman's debts.

"Wherever, and whenever, you are there is always war," Hashirama said to himself. "And there is always someone trying to find a peaceful solution."

By early in the evening the day after he started traveling, Hashirama had reached the coast. He had been to the coast before, and always loved it. The salty smell of the sea gave him a primal, unrefined pleasure that he did not understand; he preferred it that way, to simply let nature have its way.

He found a ferry riding to Whirlpool Country and boarded. He stayed on the edges of the boat in order to let the smell of the salt water engulf his senses. The sun was beginning to set, and so the sea was reflecting a beautiful hue of orange, red and yellow that came together to make it seem as if the very sea was on fire.

"Heaven's garment is without seems," Hashirama said.

"Not any that we can see anyway," said a gentle voice in Hashirama's ear.

It was a woman, maybe his age. She had bright red hair that ran loose down her back. Her eyes were large and brown without any pupils. She wore the clothing of a commoner; it was tattered and dirty. Despite that, Hashirama got the distinct feeling that she was some sort of royalty. Her skin was porcelain, if somewhat muddled by dirt and grime. The way she held herself denoted royalty.

"Mito," she said. "My name is Mito. Who are you?"

"A wanderer," Hashirama said quickly. "I am … uh … wandering."

Mito laughed. "A wanderer that wanders, I would have never guessed. I meant your name … or shall I call you wanderer?"

There was something sweet in her voice. Something free. For a moment, Hashirama imagined that she merely melded into the natural surroundings. She seemed so at home on the sea, and even as the boat rocked she did not, as if the water recognized not to move her. Her voice was so sultry, so wild and free. It was the kind of freedom that only someone enslaved could express.

"Hashi," he said. "My name is Hashi. Have you been to Whirlpool Country before?"

"Many times," Mito said, looking out into the ocean. "Why do you ask?"

"You seem so at ease on this boat," Hashirama said. "Everyone one else looks a bit … green."

"Yeah," Mito said. "I travel back and forth a lot. My parents live in Whirlpool Country, and I think the heavens think kindly of people who visit their parents every once in a while. I would ask you why you're going to Whirlpool Country … but, I figure you'll tell me that you're just wandering. What is the scroll for?"

Hashirama's heart nearly skilled a beat, remembering the scroll on his back. So caught up had he been in the beauty of the world that he had nearly forgotten it. Immediately his chakra rushed into the scroll and silenced the voice of Shukaku before it could shriek.

"It's a … uh, story. Yes, I'm writing a story of my life," Hashirama said.

"You aren't a very good liar, are you wanderer?" Mito asked.

Before Hashirama could reply, the water around the boat suddenly came to life. It started to circle viciously, and he prepared himself to battle but Mito laid a gentle hand on his hand. Soon the water had enveloped the entire boat in a massive cyclone of spinning water. The outside sun still shone through the water, leaving them a scene of beautiful shade and sunlight.

"It's a vortex," Mito said, "a signature of the Uzumaki clan. You see, these water routes are watched by pirates constantly. In order to avoid those pirates finding the ports of Whirlpool Country, the Uzumaki clan has set up a seal that creates hundreds of these vortexes in this area when a boat gets far enough. They're harmless, but with all of them twisting and turning around each other, it's impossible to pinpoint the routes to ports. On top of it all, when the whirlpools vanish they create a thick white mist."

"Amazing," Hashirama said. "Why go through all of this? Creating seals that have such powerful effects must take lots of time and strength."

"To protect that," Mito said, pointing at a black silhouette in the distance

The whirlpool suddenly vanished and was replaced by a powerful white mist. Soon the boat cut through the mist and stopped at the coast. There was a great city illuminated by the evening sun. If Hashirama's village was big, this one was twice its size. It was a metropolis of polished white marble in the center and bustling suburbia on the edges. Behind it all was a range of mountains hiding the rest of the country.

"Welcome to Gouben," Mito said; Hashirama could hear a bit of pride in her voice. "It is the capital city of Whirlpool Country, and the home of the Uzumaki clan."

The people began to exit the boat, and Hashirama continued to gaze at the magnificent city. He finally snapped out of it when he felt Mito moving away.

"Wait!" Hashirama blurted. He blushed when she looked at him. "Would you mind … showing me around?"

"Of course!" Mito smiled. "My parents can wait."

The streets were filled to the brim with people; they were going to restaurants, entertainment, and work or just walking. It was amazing to see the level of wealth the people had. Mito took him by a small restaurant and introduced him to a mushroom soup and noodles that was so good he bought seconds. Night fell and they continued to walk through the streets, which were light for night walkers.

"What are those mountains hiding?" Hashirama asked. "All of this seems too good to be true. Is the rest of the country a desolate wasteland?"

"Of course not," Mito said. "Whirlpool Country is the richest country in the world. The Uzumaki clan is the only clan in the whole country. The people pay them for services, and they buy goods. There is no war on this country, and hardly any hunger."

"What happened to the other clans?" Hashirama asked.

Mito merely continued to walk, choosing not to answer that question. Without warning she stopped and pointed at one of the mountains.

"There," Mito said. "You'll find the Uzumaki clan's compound on that mountain. That is what you're looking for, right?"

"How could you know that?" Hashirama asked.

"Only two kinds of scroll carrying wanderers come to Whirlpool Country," Mito said. "Those with black hearts seeking wealth to plunder, or those gentle spirits seeking knowledge and understanding in a world that can't be understood. Whichever you are looking for, you'll find it at the clan's compound. Goodbye, wanderer … may we meet again."

Hashirama remembered, suddenly, his mission. Before he could think to stop her, she was gone. Not doubting her directions for a moment, Hashirama made his way towards and up the mountain. There was a well-made path to be followed, and despite the fact that he could feel no chakra signatures, he knew he was going the right way.

"A clean of Fuinjutsu masters," Hashirama said. "Of course they have a seal to hide their chakra signatures."

Soon, a light was visible. When he reached the light, he was met with a giant metal gate with two guards on either side of it. They were dressed in black robes, underneath a light black and gray armor that seemed to be made of leather. They both had red hair and brown eyes. The two converged upon him, and once they saw the scroll, bowed deeply.

"Welcome, Lord Senju," one of them said. "We have been expecting you. I am Seki, and I will lead you to our master."

The two turned to the gate, and with an intricate dance of their hands, unlocked the seal keeping it closed. Instead of opening, the gate merely disintegrated. Seki stepped through and Hashirama followed carefully. Now that he knew for sure they had set up his arrival, he was on alert. If it was a trap, they would regret it.

The Uzumaki clan's compound was a like a city. It was a single home, but so large and fragmented that roads were paved in order to traverse from family to family. The walls of the buildings were covered in beautiful murals illuminated by night lights.

"They are family histories," Seki said. "Each family has its history painted on its walls."

It took a while, but Hashirama soon noticed that the road too was a mural. It was surprisingly familiar to him. He caught merely glimpses due to the pace of their walk and the night; it had something to do with a father, a beast and two sons battling.

"Here we are," Seki said. "Lord Han is waiting for you inside, Lord Senju."

Seki opened the sliding door and bowed. Hashirama stepped in, and was immediately greeted by a man who might have been old, but who did not give off the feel of being elderly. He was indeed advanced. Small, with flowing white hair, a moustache, and a squared off goatee all tinted red. He was dressed in the finest white robes and stood erect and proud.

Han bowed, and Hashirama bowed.

"Good to finally meet you, Senju Hashriama," Han said. "I am Uzumaki Han, leader of this clan and this country. The scroll please." Hashirama handed it to him. "Excellent. Onna will clean you up and bring you to dinner."

Without warning, a plump and short red-haired woman grabbed Hashirama by the arm and pulled him away. Before he could even protest she pulled him into a room, stripped his clothes off him and threw him into a scalding bath. With embarrassment he realized that he had not showered since before the mission to capture Shukaku.

After Onna finished scrubbing him off so thoroughly, she dressed him in fine white robes, put his hair in a ponytail and rushed him to the dining room. There was a massive table covered with great delicacies that Hashirama had never even seen before. Han was sitting on the other end of the table. Hashirama sat on his mat.

"Forgive me," Han said, "but we'll have to wait a bit longer. My daughter is still freshening up."

"Why did you lure me here?" Hashirama asked.

"In due to time," Han said. "Just know, that our intentions with you, Lord Senju, are purely virtuous. In a time where the lines of friendship are always blurry, we are your definitive allies. When you are alone, we will come to your side. When you are surrounded by wealth and prosperity, we will be waiting for when you need us again."

The door slid open. A woman walked in. Hashirama immediately recognized her as Mito, the woman from earlier that day. She was different now. Her porcelain skin was as pristine as her white robes. Her hair was tied into two buns with tags hanging from them. The wild freedom in her eyes that had caught his attention before was much more subdued now. She bowed before sitting beside her father.

"We meet again, wanderer," Mito said.

"Sooner than I expected," Hashirama said, incredulous.

"You two have met?" Han asked.

"I was merely returning home," Mito said. "Just as you ordered, father. Imagine my surprise when I see someone carrying one of my old model seals. Not only that, but my seal trickling with the power of a Tailed Beast. I asked who he was, and he lied, saying he was a wanderer."

"You lied to me as well," Hashiraam said, nearly growling through narrow eyes.

"I never lied," Mito said. "I really have come to visit my parents."

"There are different kinds of deception," Hashirama said.

"She meant no harm," Han said. "I assure you, Lord Senju."

"You keep saying that," Hashirama said, "but, how can I be sure? Why have you brought me here?"

"Can we eat first?" Han asked.

"I'm not hungry," Hashirama said.

There was a tense silence in the room. Han reached over and grabbed a piece of steak between his pointing finger and thumb. He dropped it on his tongue and chewed gently for a moment. Mito and Hashirama met each other's gaze. Hashirama felt his anger begin to fade. There was no animosity in her vision.

"We have 'lured' you here, Lord Senju, to tell you that we are your family," Han said.

"You're saying, I'm an Uzumaki?" Hashirama asked.

"No," Han said. "You are a Senju … but for all intents and purposes, Uzumaki and Senju are one and the same. What do you know about the Sage of Six Paths, Lord Senju?"

"He created Ninjutsu," Hashirama said.

"There is much more to it than that," Han said. "Mito, if you would …"

Han began to eat.

"Countless years ago," Mito began, "the world was much different than it is today. The entire planet lived in fear of a single creature, the Ten Tailed Beast … the ancestor of the Beasts of today. The Beast was, for all we know, the progenitor of all things. Its power was infinite, and so too was its fury. Human beings lived in fear of its destructive capacity. The Sage of Six Paths, the man who discovered chakra and all its utilizations, confronted The Beast.

"The Sage sealed the beast inside himself, thus freeing the world of its power. The Sage had two sons. The Elder Brother inherited the Sage's eyes, and his spiritual energy. The Younger Brother inherited the Sage's body, and his physical energy. On his death bed, the Sage split The Beast's power into nine separate pieces, the Tailed Beasts that you know today. The Sage also made the Younger Son, who believed that love was the key to power, his heir. This greatly angered the Older Son, who believed that hatred was the key to power.

"The two brothers battled over their differing ideologies…"

"I've heard a similar legend," Hashirama said.

"All legends derive from others," Han said, between bites of chicken.

"Also, they all derive from the truth," Mito said. "The brother's battled their entire lives, and their battle passed on to their descendants. The descendants of the Younger Brother went on to become the Senju clan, and the Uzumaki clan. The descendants of the Older Brother became the Uchiha clan."

"Where is this going?" Hashirama said. "You had me travel thousands of kilometers for a legend?"

"Not a legend," Han said. "The truth. Now listen."

"The Uzumaki clan split from the Senju clan hundreds of years ago," Mito said. "We became the keepers of the Sage's greatest secrets. The Senju clan continued to battle the Uchiha clan. Over the years, different sides would gain the lead. At some point in history, the Uchiha clan was nearly destroyed. They recovered, and hundreds of years ago, brought the Senju clan nearly to extinction."

"When I heard your name," Han said, "I was at first skeptical. We, the Uzumaki, had believed truly that the Uchiha had eradicated all Senju. But the mere fact that your name was made public knowledge due to a victory over the Uchiha clan made it interesting. So I decided to test you. Only a true Senju would have been able to seal Shukaku into that scroll."

"And if I hadn't been a true Senju?" Hashirama asked.

"You would have died," Han said. "Is your brother truly your brother?"

"Yes, we share a mother," Hashirama said.

"Astounding," Han said. "After all these years … finally to be reunited."

"How am I supposed to believe all of this?" Hashirama asked. "It's too much to swallow. And even if it is true … did you really bring me here just to enlighten me?"

"No, follow me … both of you," Han said. "You should have eaten, Lord Senju. We won't be back for a while. I shall give you the reason for which I called you here."

They walked out of the home, through the compound and out of the mountain. The walk was well lit, and as they spiraled down the mountain, Hashirama came to realize that the entire country might be just mountains. It took almost twenty minutes, and the more they walked, the more dread Hashirama began to feel. Before he even knew why, his palms were seating and his legs were shaking.

"You feel it, don't you?" Mito asked. "Your senses must be impressive, to feel the power even beyond the seal."

They stopped when they reached a small valley surrounded by mountains.

At the center of the valley was a creature of titanic proportions; easily bigger than Shukaku. It laid on its belly. Its fur was bright red, its lips a charred black and nine massive tails protruded from its behind. It was a fox. Its power was more than a miasma. It was death. Hashirama felt the cold fingers of death clawing at his throat. With every breath the beast took, he felt himself get closer to dying. The entire universe screamed at the abomination of all things. The creature was rage, infinite rage and infinite power.

"The … the Nine-Tailed Fox," Hashirama said, astounded.

"Yes," Han said. "This is Kurama … the greatest of the Tailed Beasts. Kurama is the closest thing there is to the Ten Tailed Beast. Currently, it is sedated and trapped by the most powerful seal in existence. But even still, you can feel its power. It scares you, and it scares me too."

"How can this be?" Hashirama asked. "How is it here?"

"Kurama is a beast fueled by negative emotions," Mito said. "It goes to these negative emotions to gain even more power. These days, with all these warring clans, negative emotions are abundant."

"It was with Kurama," Han said, "that the Uchiha clan was able to almost eradicate the Senju clan. They briefly controlled it under the power of a great Uchiha, but soon lost control. My ancestors lured the beast here and trapped it. The entire country was built around this single sight. All for the purpose of keeping this beast here for the rest of eternity. But … that is implausible."

"Is that why you called me here?" Hashirama asked. "What can I do?"

"Not much," Han said. "You have great power, but Kurama cannot be destroyed, only sealed. The seal holding Kurama is eroding, and even with our great knowledge there is nothing we can do to fix it. In ten years give or take, Kurama will be free to destroy all that exists. There is one permanent solution … and we can only accomplish it with you. Come."

Han led them into a cave, they walked through a tunnel for what seemed like days before finally coming to a covered opening so wide and tall that Kurama would have fit in it several times over. There were nine men there, dressed in fine white robes, and their faces covered in various masks of white and blue. The nine men all wore a red ring on over their fingers, and were chanting over the scroll containing Shukaku.

"You see," Han said. "When the Sage of Six Paths split the Ten Tailed Beast into nine creatures, he entombed The Beast's body inside of the moon. Only one of his descendants, an Uchiha, Senju or Uzumaki can retrieve it. But, in order for them to be able to do that, they need immense power. It is a power that neither I, nor my daughter, possess. But you … you possess that incredible strength. You can summon the Ten Tails."

"This is madness," Hashirama said.

"No …" Han said. "Not at all. Look around you. The walls of this entire cavern are covered in the necessary seals. All you need to do is gather as much energy as you can, and let the beast come to you."

Han and Mito stepped away from Hashirama. He stood alone, trying not to believe the story. But there was no doubting it. He could feel the power coming from behind the walls. He could feel the grip of the beast on the other end of the summoning. It wanted to see fresh air.

Without even knowing why, Hashirama gathered all of his power and reached. He reached beyond the mountains, beyond the country and into the sky. He grabbed the beast, and it too grabbed him. Hashirama screamed as he felt it try to tug his very soul from his chest. But he held strong.

"It's working!" Han said ecstatically.

A giant, purple, portal opened on the ground away from them. First came a massive head, as large as Shukaku's body. There was a bandage around face, but nine closed eyes protruded from it. A giant block was in its mouth. Giant protrusions jutted from its back. Then came its two hands, bound together by a powerful spell, with the palms open upwards and the fingers wide apart. The statue seemed to be made of old decaying wood, and it reeked of malice and death.

Hashirama fell to his knees, panting as a powerful sweat leaked through his clothing.

"Is that proof enough?" Mito asked.

"Do you see now, Lord Senju," Han said. "This is the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, or as you know it, the Ten Tailed Beast. The only way to permanently rid the world of the Tailed Beasts is to seal them back inside this vessel and trap it forever in the moon."

"How can I know your intentions are pure?" Hashirama asked. "How do I know you don't plan to let it destroy the world?"

"You ask too many questions," Mito said, now seemingly irate. "First, if that was the plan then releasing Kurama would do well enough. Secondly, while a powerful descendent of the Sage, either Uchiha or Senju, can summon the beast from the moon and return it, only someone who possesses both the body of the Sage and the eyes of the Sage can awaken it."

"If you're willing, Lord Senju," Han said. "We will seal the Beast. The Beasts have to be sealed in order, from one to nine, or the statue will shatter and release them on the world. That is why we need you. We have ten years to gather the remaining seven Tailed Beasts. We will make your organization in Fire Country the most powerful in the world, and in return, you will capture for us the Tailed Beasts and we will seal them."

Mito grabbed Hashirama by the arm, hoisting him to his feet. She led him away as Han and his nine disciples leaped onto the statue. Each stood on a finger. Mito laid Hashirama down gently on the wall of the cave, and sat beside him. Hashirama stared vacantly at the beast, his soul and mind trying to comprehend the events taking place.

"It's too much," Hashirama said to Mito in an off-handed manner. "But, I can't deny it. How did you deal with learning this?"

"The Uzumaki clan has been the keeper of this Statue for hundreds of years," Mito said. "Being the clan leader's daughter, I was raised to believe it. Although this is my first time seeing the statue, I may as well have seen it every day for my entire life."

Han and his disciples suddenly began to glow a bright green color. They flipped through hand seals in unison and cried:

"Sealing Technique: Phantom Dragons Nine Consuming Seals!"

The statue's mouth creaked open, its endless pit of a belly glowed an ethereal blue color. The color grew brighter until nine massive dragons of pure blue chakra erupted from the statue's mouth. The beasts circled each other for a moment, as if awaiting their orders, before plunging into the scroll containing Shukaku. For a brief second, Hashirama swore he could hear the beast screaming from within as it tried to struggle free. But it was no match for the power of the dragons.

"How long will it take to seal?" Hashirama asked.

"This is their first time actually doing the technique," Mito said. "So it might be anywhere from one day, to one week. Don't worry, they'll survive. My father and his monks were born and raised to accomplish this specific duty."

Time passed slowly, but Hashirama never felt an urge to leave. He was transfixed by the sealing. A part of him felt sickened by it. Despite Shukaku's bestial and brutal nature, it seemed to wrong to _feed_ it to that hellish statue. But the universe around him seemed to be filled to the brim with joy as Shukaku's chaotic energy was pulled into an endless void from which it would not return.

"Your father," Hashirama started, before stopping briefly. "He … he never explained what your role in all this was. Where were you, and why did he call you back?"

"I was wandering," Mito said with a clever smile. "I move from country to country seeking inspiration for my sealing techniques. My father would never have allowed it of course, but I was gathering information on the remaining Tailed Beasts. I've studied them, and created a seal specific for each of them. Once my father sent for you, my time in the world was done."

"That's it then?"

"No," Mito said. "My father will probably ask you to marry me."

Hashirama opened his mouth to speak, but found himself at a loss for words.

"You don't need to say anything," Mito said. "Don't be mistaken. I don't love you. I hardly know you. But, I will do my duty for my home, and for the world. We will marry, and the Senju line will be reborn."

There was a certain sadness in her voice that made Hashirama cringe. That freedom that he had seen in her eyes earlier, it seemed have been subdued.

"I'm sorry," Hashirama. "I …"

"Don't be," Mito said. "I am a scholar and a warrior, not a simple-minded woman. I don't hold any romantic ideas of love. I'm sure a warrior of your stature feels the same."

"I don't," Hashirama said, bluntly. "Yes, I am a warrior. But, I do believe that love has its place in this world. Maybe even more so than duty."

Hashirama's challenge seemed to silence her. He did not mind. The romantic vision of freedom he had seen earlier had been shattered by her regal and noble demeanor. Besides, his mind was preoccupied with watching the statue. No matter how hard Hashirama tried to poke a hole in the logic of the story he had been told, he could not. The statue spoke to him; it told him the truth. It recanted the story word for word, except more vividly, more violently.

"You said that the Ten Tails was the progenitor of all things," Hashirama said. "It can't be. This beast did not create man … man created this beast. It's so angry."

"Angry?" Mito asked.

"Yeah, it's not hateful," Hashirama said. "It's like Shukaku and Kurama. They just want to sleep."

"And sleep, they shall."

_**Fire Country …**_

Madara and Izuna stood side by side. They stood on a cliff; below them the sea was beating furiously against the land in hopes of eroding it out of existence. The moon shined brightly, as if hoping to illuminate the two shadows that congregated in the darkness. Distant stars twinkled bright, trying to help.

"Did you find anything in the archives?" Madara asked.

"Yes, the Senju are in our archives," Izuna said. "Apparently, their clan has been at war with ours for years. Hundreds of years ago, we slaughtered them to nigh extinction. I could only read so much of the tablet, however. My eyes are too weak."

"So, history has chosen to repeat itself," Madara said, folding his arms over his chest. "We'll finish the job that our ancestors couldn't. Gather three hundred men. We'll move out tomorrow morning."

"A night time raid of their village?" Izuna asked.

"No," Madara said. "I want the Senju to see me when I incinerate everything he loves. They'll sleep well once we send them to hell."

"And sleep, they shall."


	9. Chapter 9

AThousand Hands

Summary:The rise and fall of the man who moved nations; Senju Hashirama.

Disclaimer:Naruto Series is not mine

Arc Three:Brothers and Rivals

**Chapter Nine**

"_Dewdrop, let me cleanse_

_In your brief_

_Sweet waters …_

_These dark hands of life"_

_-Basho_

This was a rare moment for Tobirama.

The loneliness of his home, with Hashirama gone, had forced him from that hollow shelter to the top of the mountain overlooking their village. First, with nothing to bother him but the occasional meeting, he had delved into his work of creating new techniques. Where Hashirama was gifted with a connection to all of the natural universe, Tobirama understood that which was manmade. Systems came easily to him.

This fine morning, Tobirama found that he no longer wanted to fiddle with that which stemmed from the human mind. His heart, instead, lifted him from his bed this morning when he heard the sound of rain tapping against his windows. The sky was still the darkest shade of black, as if a great being far beyond them had spilled his ink over a fine blue canvas.

Tobirama wanted to watch the sunrise.

Tobirama wanted to see the celestial light of the sun reflecting off the fresh dew of a crisp summer morning. He had hoped that the rain, now just a light drizzle would cleanse his mind and his hands of the darkness of life.

First, an old man sat beside Tobirama and patted him gently on the shoulder.

"Father," Tobirama said. "I've disgraced you …"

The old man shook his head in understanding, stood and ruffled his son's hair before vanishing into the netherworld. He was soon replaced by an old woman, his mother, who kissed Tobirama gently on the cheek before whispering in his ear:

"_We'll always be proud of you, Tobi …"_ – before vanishing too in chase of the old man.

Then came a young girl; she wore commoner's clothing but her heart and eyes were on fire with the will of the most noble heiress.

"The sun goddess reincarnated," Tobirama said to her, smiling brightly.

She kissed him passionately on the lips, making his body tingle with a sensation that he had missed so much:

"_Don't you ever forget me!"_ she yelled angrily.

She was soon forgotten, for suddenly a pair of real arms, made of flesh and bone, encompassed Tobirama's neck and he was cheek to cheek with a porcelain skinned woman with raven colored hair.

"I never expected I'd find you up here, Tobirama," Peko said. "You don't seem like the type to wait longingly for the sunrise."

"I'm not," Tobirama said, lying. "Look out at this village … it's the perfect example of the power of the human mind when properly pushed. Why are you looking for me this late in the night? The sunrise isn't for another couple of hours."

"Well," Peko said, sighing, "I told Nodoka that I needed to speak with you about official Council business."

Tobirama laughed. "He bought that?"

"No," Peko said. "But who cares?"

Their lips met in a passionate lock, and Tobirama once again felt that feeling he had longed for. Human affection was so sweet, and so confusing. That was why Tobirama loved the feel of Peko's hips against his own. Because, he could not understand it. No matter how he tried to break it down, no matter how much he tried to make sense of it, he could not. Because there was no sense to make.

It simply was; this must have been how Hashirama lived all the time.

Tobirama lifted her in his arms like a bride, never breaking their kiss. With a single movement he leaped off the mountain. From such a height, they fell freely for almost half a minute. The raindrops seemed to be reversing their course as they zipped past them. Tobirama landed as light as a feather on the roof of his home, and within seconds had laid Peko gently on his bed.

Tobirama never got to see the sunrise.

When sunlight finally peaked through their window, they were dressed and eating at the table in the dining room.

"So, I've got an idea about a new clan system," Peko said, a piece of bread in her hand. "It came to me yesterday, as I was walking through the village. No matter where you go, no matter the time, there was always something happening! People are building things, selling things or growing things …"

"Go on," Tobirama said.

"Well … why is the village so efficient?" Peko asked.

"Because the people have incentives," Tobirama said. "They have money, and they want to buy things. None of the people are placed under any restrictive conditions, and thus they get to do what they want. When people can do what they want, they prosper."

"Right, right," Peko said. "Now why is the army so _in_efficient?"

"Because there are no incentives," Tobirama said. "No matter your skill, you get the same wages. Where are you going with this? We tried to change up the pay based on skill, or experience, but it's too hard to keep track of."

"My plan's pretty simple," Peko said. "There are millions of people in Fire Country who want things to be done and need ninjas to do them … but approaching a ninja is unthinkable because they might kill you. How about this? People must come to you and Hashirama for missions, and when they do, you decide which ninjas have the skills to handle that mission and send them. They get most of the pay, and the village gets a small amount. This way, the clan heads are kept out of the larger loop, soldiers have incentive to train and get better, and the village gets money to support war time needs. Also, in times of war, you and Hashirama assume absolute power over the men."

Tobirama was silent for a minute. As he chewed his food, he found many holes in her plan. For instance, conventional warfare would be nearly impossible. But, then again, who needed conventional warfare?

"Genius," Tobirama said, finally. "It's better than my plan."

"Which was?" Peko asked.

"To kill all the clan heads and threaten their men into submission," Tobirama said, a cold edge in his voice. After a brief silence he added: "I'm joking of course … not really."

Soon, Tobirama had Peko pressed against the wall. He took a moment to feel her soft, supple flesh against his battle-hardened body before leaning in to kiss her. He thought for a moment that he loved her. So enthralled were they in the moment neither of them sensed the presence in the home until it was too late; a door flung open and a member of the Sarutobi Ten rushed in.

"L-Lord Senju," the Sarutobi said, averting his eyes and blushing.

Tobirama and Peko quickly corrected themselves.

"Is there a problem?" Tobirama asked.

"There's a fire in district four," the Sarutobi said.

"A fire?" Tobirama asked, confused. "It was just raining, how can a fire have started?"

"We believe there was some ninja activity," the Sarutobi said.

"Gather the troops," Tobirama said, grabbing his Raijin from its place. "Have two platoons in every district. Have the rest of the Sarutobi Ten follow me; I'll hunt down the bastards responsible."

The Sarutobi rushed out.

"And me?" Peko asked.

"Go home," Tobirama said. "We need to protect the clan heads."

Suddenly, Peko slapped Tobirama indignantly. Her eyes were red with fury and her face blushed like a tomato.

"Don't lie to me," Peko said. "If it's serious enough that you're scrambling the whole army, the other clan heads will fight! I never thought you were a sentimental fool!"

Tobirama was silent for a second; it never occurred to him that he had lied. But, he realized, if his fears were true, that the other clan heads would be expected to fight. For a brief moment, he had allowed his sentimental heart to rein over his mind. To Tobirama the Lover, Peko was that which was most precious to him. To Tobirama the Strategist, Peko was a valuable asset because of her leadership and fighting abilities.

The Strategist won.

"Join platoon three," Tobirama said. "Ashoka is leading them, take charge and make him second in command. Wait for my order before moving."

Like a ghost Tobirama vanished from the home and was leaping over the rooftops towards district four, which was the very edge of the expanding village. He could see a massive fire licking away at many homes. Within seconds, nine of the Sarutobi Ten were trailing him faithfully. There were five homes on fire. A quick water technique from Tobirama silenced the flames immediately. Only ashes remained, and within Tobirama and his men could see the charred bones of civilians.

"Come out," Tobirama said, his voice a low growl. "I can smell your stench."

Fifteen men, hidden behind the remains of one of the houses, emerged. They were dressed in black, and undoubtedly bore the symbol of the Uchiha clan on their backs. If that was not proof enough, each of them bore a pair of Sharingan eyes that swirled maliciously.

Tobirama donned his coldest, most emotionless face. His red eyes became a cold, hard metal as he envisaged how he would eviscerate the fools who dared to attack his home and kill his subjects. It was just as he had feared. The Uchiha clan had returned, and Hashirama was too far away to return in time to repel them.

"So, the Uchiha has come," Tobirama said. "Haven't you all learned yet?"

"You fucking idiot!" One of the Uchiha, their apparent leader, yelled. "You don't stand a chance in hell this time. We're just the welcoming party."

"Your leaders are the idiots," Tobirama said. "Instead of simply attacking full force while we weren't alert, they send forward a warning. They'll come to regret that decision."

"Lord Madara told us to return to the group once we spotted one of you," the Uchiha leader said. "I say we'll just kill you now, seeing as its fifteen to ten. I like those odds, don't you fellas? W're the vanguards of the Uchiha clan, the most powerful fifteen that our clan has to offer besides Lord Madara and Lord Izuna."

"You should have listened to your master," Tobirama said, his hands flying together to form seals.

The Uchiha rushed all at once to slaughter him, and not a single Sarutobi moved to intercept them. The Uchiha barely got a step from their previous positions before they all halted immediately.

"Water Style: Binding Water Technique!"

The fifteen Uchiha stood paralyzed as Tobirama pointed his hands at them.

"You come here, still wet from the rain …" Tobirama said. "You would do well to learn that I am a master of water. Even the slightest rain drop on your skin is a dagger which I can use to disembowel you."

"Kill them now, Lord Tobirama?" a Sarutobi asked.

"And preserve their bodies," Tobirama said. "They'll prove useful."

The Sarutobi men went about the gritty work of slitting the throats of the Uchiha vanguards as the poor fools struggled to break Tobirama's bind. Every time a body collapsed, Tobirama was given a reprieve. The technique was extremely taxing, and it had nearly failed to stop them all. Tobirama walked up to the leader of the group and forced him to his knees.

"What's your name?" Tobirama asked.

"Fuck you, Senju scum!" the Uchiha said.

"Did you know that the human body is eighty to ninety percent water?" Tobirama asked, seemingly without reason. "While I can't control water in the body of a moving opponent, that's impossible even for me, if I can get someone to sit still … then their entire body becomes just a puppet at my whim. Watch."

Tobirama laid his hand gently on the Uchiha's forehead. He trickled his power into the man's chakra system. The Uchiha attempted to fight; his chakra was particularly strong and potent, but in the end no match for Tobirama's.

A chilling shriek escaped the Uchiha's mouth, followed closely by a snap as his right arm bent and broke like a twig. The other arm began to do the same.

"Senjin!" the Uchiha yelled. "My name is Senjin!"

"Now, how many of you are there?" Tobirama whispered in his ear. "And where are they?"

"Fuck you!"

Senjin's other arm snapped like the first, followed by his leg. He screamed in horror as blood began to drip from his jaws; the water in his belly was ravenously tearing apart his insides. Suddenly, his blood began to boil. His brain began to steam like a vegetable cooking and blood started streaking from Senjin's eyes like tears.

"Oh, God! Three hundred, there are three hundred! Split into three divisions! I was leading the third division; they're just a mile from here! Please, stop!"

But, Tobirama did not. Instead, he increased his chakra flow into Senjin's body, grinding his bones and cutting his insides. The cold anger he had felt at the sight of the burned down homes had transformed into a hot hatred that he did not understand. Tobirama understood only that he hated Uchiha; not one, but all of them.

"Lord Senju!" a Sarutobi yelled.

Tobirama snapped back to life, realizing that Senjin was long dead; his mouth and eyes were wide with inexplicable horror. Tobirama removed his hand, letting the hot body fall lifelessly to the ground. He wiped the blood on his hand off on his shirt.

"Ichi, Ni," Tobirama said, "I want you to get platoons one through three and gather them at the southeast corner of the village. San, Shi and Go, get platoons three through six and go to the northeast corner; tell Sasuke that he's in control of that group. Roku, Shichi, Hachi … get the last two platoons and gather them at the eastern edge of the village; I'll join you there. Kyu, I need you to go and inform the Aburame and Inuzuka clans that their Senju brothers need them. Move!"

"Yes, Lord Tobirama!"

They vanished, leaving Tobirama alone with the deceased bodies of the fifteen Uchiha. Ju, the member of the Sarutobi clan who had found him at home with Peko, found him immediately.

"Ju," Tobirama said. "I want you to gather these bodies and burn them. Before you burn them, I want you to extract a vial of their blood, do you understand?"

"Of course, Lord Tobirama," Ju said.

"I'm counting on you."

Tobirama moved quickly back to his home. He found his battle armor, blue to contrast Hashirama's red and donned it. Around the collar was the fur that his father, Tamago, had given to him months before his death.

Peko found him outside his door.

"What's going on?" Peko asked.

"It's the Uchiha invasion we've been fearing all along," Tobirama said. "Peko, take fifty men and start moving the villagers towards the base of the mountain."

"Don't insult me-"

"Shut up and listen!" Tobirama said, nearly hissing. "This is no time to be prideful. If I am to die, and our forces to be decimated, it is your job to protect the villagers until the Aburame and Inuzuka clans get here. Send someone to get Hashirama."

He grabbed her by the waist and kissed her passionately.

"Be swift and strong!" Tobirama said, before rushing off towards the eastern front.

The battle began before he arrived. Distant explosions shook the village and Tobirama down to his core. Their fledging village had finally known full scale war. He steeled his heart in preparation for what was to come. He saw it in the distance. A large mass of ninjas, his Senju warriors, facing off against a large mass of black clad figures. Even without his sensing abilities he could feel to vile creatures leading the head of the dragon.

Tobirama leaped, his momentum carrying him clear over his large mass of men.

"Water Style: Slicing Water Torrent!"

At Tobirama's whim a wall of water erupted from the ground and made a wall between the Senju and the Uchiha. He landed softly on his feet, with the Raijin's handle held delicately in his hand. The wall of water dispersed, leaving him face to face with one man he immediately recognized as Izuna and another he rationalized must have been Madara.

"You came together?" Tobirama asked. "I expected that you would split your strength."

"Where is the Senju?" Madara asked, looking at who he considered to be a buffoon with mild disgust.

"Senju Tobirama, at your service. My brother is handling more pressing matters."

"I'm disappointed," Madara said, crossing his arms. "I was hoping to meet again the man named Hashirama, and crush all that he loved in front of his eyes. You'll have to do … I guess."

"Don't underestimate him, brother," Izuna said, drawing his scythe. "He's every bit as strong as the other one."

"You overestimate yourselves," Tobirama said. "I assure you, that I'll be meet the challenge you're looking for and exceed it. You've purchased your ticket to hell and I won't disappoint on the delivery."

The Raijin blade came to life in Tobirama's hand, crackling with a powerful electricity that sought to match the rising tension of the combatants. Elsewhere, with the other divisions, the battles had already begun as fire and earth could be heard clashing in the distance. Men were screaming. But not a man on either side quivered.

Tobirama moved first; like a ghost he vanished, appearing between the two Uchiha's and attempting to cleave them in twain. Madara blocked smoothly with his metal warfan, and Izuna's scythe came descending down on Tobirama.

The scythe cleaved through Tobirama's body, which promptly dispersed into a puddle of water. The war began with a mighty war cry from an Akimichi before he rolled to crush the Uchiha. The two masses of warriors met and melded into a destructive wall of unimaginable chaos,

"Die!" Tobirama hollered, erupting from the ground.

Madara leaped away to avoid the Raijin, and Tobirama clashed weapons with Izuna sending sparks jutting into the air.

"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"

Madara released a wide, powerful flame. The flame seared the wet grass, sending steam floating into the air. Izuna moved to avoid the behemoth of a flame.

"Water Style: Water Colliding Wave!"

Tobirama spit up a stream of water. The water surrounded him in a stunning vortex of clear liquid, engulfing Madara's flames in a single swallow before reaching a crescendo and exploding from the top in the form of a wave. One hand motion sent a powerful wave of water rolling towards Madara. Another made a wave intercept Izuna and send him flying way, and the last crashed through a band of Uchiha.

"You dance well," Madara said. "You're a master of the water. But what is a master of water to a god of fire? Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction!"

"Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction!" yelled Izuna.

Two rivers of fire exploded from the brothers and approached Tobirama with devastating speed. The white hot flames eroded his water defense. With a single movement, Tobirama had the water carry him into the sky.

Madara punched Tobirama square in the jaw, sending him rocketing towards the earth. Tobirama landed on his feet and side stepped Izuna's scythe, only to meet Izuna's boot in his gut. Tobirama rolled away, once again surrounded by the brothers.

"You're beginning to bore me," Madara said. "Where are your Wood techniques?"

"Water Style: Riding Water Torrent!" Tobirama shouted.

Tobirama was suddenly lifted from the ground by a wave of water which hurtled him towards Madara. Madara blocked the Raijin, but with a smooth motion Tobirama sent both the war fan and his sword sailing away. Madara blocked two blows, and was pushed away suddenly as Tobirama punched him in the chest.

Izuna swung his scythe in a wide arch. Tobirama ducked and swept his feet. Izuna jumped to avoid. Madara erupted from the side of Tobirama's vision and kneed him in the chin, sending him skidding away with blood dripping from his mouth.

"Maybe one of us, you could match," Izuna said.

"But against us both, you're powerless," Madara finished.

Tobirama wiped the blood from his mouth; indeed he was mostly powerless to defeat them. But of course, he had tricks up his sleeve.

"I haven't mastered this technique," Tobirama said, forming a single hand seal. "But, what better time to master it than in the midst of battle."

Two small water droplets, hardly bigger than two drops of rain, appeared by Tobirama's sides. Both water droplets began to glow a bright purpled color, and when the color died down, there was a symbol in each of the droplets.

"Suijin's Heavenly Doorway," Tobirama said.

The two water droplets launched towards Madara, who made no attempt to dodge them. The droplets stopped suddenly, just short of Madara who smirked. The smirk was wiped clean when suddenly Tobirama's fist slammed into Madara's nose, shattering it and sending the Uchiha tumbling back.

Tobirama lunged at Izuna, they met in a clash of fists and before Izuna could cleave Tobirama in half, the Senju vanished, reappearing between his two droplets of water.

Slowly, another droplet of water formed near Tobirama's forehead. Two of the water droplets rushed towards Izuna, who quickly backed away. The third towards Madara. One of the droplets chasing Izuna suddenly changed directions and joined the one trying to capture Madara. The Uchiha hissed and made a single hand seal.

"Fire Style: Grand Fireball!"

The flaming meteor caught the two droplets in midair; the water burrowed two wholes clean through the fire and nearly caught Madara, who leaped away.

"It's no use trying to evaporate the drops," Tobirama said. "They're made of a delicate mix of carbon, mercury and sulfur … the boiling point is too high for anything you could muster. You could always use your Amaterasu technique … but they're too small to properly aim at."

"But you aren't," Izuna said. "Amaterasu!"

The black flames of hell instantly engulfed Tobirama's form.

"Over here," Tobirama said, kicking Izuna in the gut before punching him in the jaw.

A single stroke of Izuna's scythe sent Tobirama away, and gave him some space. Madara landed gently next to his brother, wiping the blood from his nose. Tobirama tried to avoid shaking. The weight of the technique was devastating. Despite his efforts, their keen Sharingan eyes immediately caught sight of his dwindling chakra reservoirs.

"I see," Madara said. "You aren't fast at all. It's a trick. Amaterasu is impossible to avoid, for it merely ignites the enemy. The kanji inside are summoning markings. Wherever the two markings meet, you summon yourself there."

"It bypasses space and time," Izuna said. "Your movement through the doorway is instantaneous. A clever technique."

"Lethal too," Madara said. "But not without its weakness. Instantaneous movement is not meant for fragile human bodies. How much does it hurt, Senju, to have every particle in your body ripped apart and then reassembled? And your chakra … finding elements as rare as mercury and sulfer in the earth and mixing them must take lots of energy. You won't last!"

"I'll last long enough to send you both to hell," Tobirama said.

A final water droplet formed. Each set of droplets chased hungrily after the brothers, who tried to avoid them by splitting up. Their attempts to attack Tobirama suddenly became useless as he would vanish into thin air and reappear.

"We can run longer than you can chase, fool," Madara said mockingly.

"There!" Tobirama hollered.

He vanished, instantly reappearing in front of a shocked Izuna. Raijin, having been retrieved, struck like a cobra to pierce Izuna through the gut and end his life. Tobirama found Izuna's flesh to be hard and impenetrable. His arm nearly shattered with the force of the impact. Standing between the two was wall of purple chakra, which formed around Izuna in the shape of a massive hooded figure with a scythe of chakra in hand.

"Meet Susanoo," Izuna said, before bringing his new scythe bearing down on Tobirama; once again Tobirama was long gone.

"Oh yes, did I forget to mention?" Madara asked, vainly. "Despite your godlike speed, you're useless against our godlike defense."

Chakra erupted around Madara as well, forming his blue and four armed guardian deity with its jagged swords in hand.

Tobirama sighed, letting his water droplets disperse. A feeling of great relief came over his body. One more teleportation and he might have blacked out from the searing pain. Madara was right. Every atom in his body was instantly ripped apart, and then smashed back together. Dying might have been a more pleasurable feeling.

"Tobirama!" yelled Sasuke, landing and stumbling by his master's side. "The other two battles are streaming this way. It's about to become one fucking free for all!"

The other two battles had moved their way over to this one. Devastation was strewn about. The fourth district was in flames, and regrouping needed to be done.

"Pay attention fool!" Madara yelled, his chakra scimitar moving to kill both Tobirama and Sasuke in a single stroke.

"Water Style: Ryujin the Water God!"

Tobirama and Sasuke separated, avoiding death. Immediately, Tobirama was surrounded in a shell of water that exploded into the air and began to shape. Within seconds, Tobirama sat in the head of a massive serpent dragon of water. It opened its mouth and released the sound of rushing water. It was the roar of a waterfall.

Tobirama launched forward, grabbing Madara in his jaws. Madara's two free hands grabbed him around the neck, and Izuna came sweeping in like the angel of death. Tobirama's tail knocked Izuna in the chest, sending him careening back slightly. Madara's two swords batted Tobirama's dragon away.

"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!" Madara yelled.

A giant river of fire fed off Susanoo's body and erupted towards Tobirama.

"Water Style: Water Cannon!"

Tobirama's dragon opened its maw and released a massive, condensed ball of water. Followed by another. The first clashed with the fire stream and turned into a storm of steam. The second cut through the steam and slammed into Madara, sending Susano'o crashing into a line of trees.

Izuna came rushing out of the side. Tobirama fired another water cannon. Izuna cut the water ball clean in half and cleaved Tobirama's dragon in half as well. With one hand movement, Tobirama sent the severed bottom half of his dragon crashing into Izuna which sent skidding away him away.

The water dragon dissipated, and Tobirama landed on a single knee.

The two Uchiha brothers stood, their guardians vanishing as well. Both of them had blood streaming from their eyes and looked as haggard as he was.

"Retreat!" Tobirama shouted; they would not follow. "Senju! Retreat to the fourth district!"

The two armies had met at the eastern front. The call was immediately heeded. The Uchiha, also looking for some reprieve, vanished into the foliage. The Senju clan found itself hiding behind the rubble of district four.

"Report!" Tobirama said, not to anyone in particular.

Of five hundred Senju fighters, three hundred and twenty-one remained ready to battle. The rest were either dead, too wounded to continue or captured. Some of the cowards had fled upon seeing the Uchiha crests and the size of the Uchiha's army.

"Tobirama," Sasuke said, as night began to fall. "The Uchiha sent a messenger."

"What did they want?" Tobirama asked.

"A prisoner exchange," Sasuke said. "They have thirty-two of ours, and we have forty-one of theirs. They said in four hours, we'll exchange them at the battlefield."

"Is that all?" Tobirama asked.

"No," Sasuke said. "They wanna resume the battle right after the prisoners are exchanged. That leader, Madara … he's got a lot of flair to him. The damn idiot thinks he's a samurai."

"No, he's smarter than you'd think," Tobirama said. "This kind of warfare, where we meet in an open field and do head to head battle is very favorable to the Uchiha clan. If this was unconventional war, we'd destroy them with the diversity of our clan techniques. Head to head, the Uchiha are hard to beat."

"So, we aren't gonna meet them in the middle?" Sasuke asked.

"We will," Tobirama said. He paused for a long moment, looking up at the sky. Night had fallen now. The stars were shining brightly. He could see the Uchiha camp fires in the distance; they were not even trying to hide. "Do you believe in limits, Sasuke?"

"What do you mean by limits?"

"You know …" Tobirama said. "Boundaries … do you believe in moral boundaries, even when they stand in the way of a goal … or survival?"

"I … I'm not sure, Tobirama wha-."

Ju arrived at that instance, looking weary and somewhat disgusted with himself. In his hands were fifteen glass bottles with blood in them.

"Take me to the prisoners," Tobirama said.

The prisoners, all forty-one of them, were tied around a fire. Their fingers were tied together, they were blindfolded and gagged. They were being watched by a group of guards with kunai and swords ready to slaughter them for even the briefest movement. As Tobirama, Sasuke and Ju arrived, so too did Peko.

"Tobirama," Peko said. "The villagers are safe. I'm joining the fight!"

Tobirama said nothing to her. Instead, he placed his hand gently on fifteen different Uchiha warriors. With a single nod to the guards, they dragged those fifteen Uchiha to a secluded area and left them there with Tobirama, Sasuke, Ju and Peko. Tobirama sat the fifteen prisoners in a circle and walked around them methodically. He took a single bottle of blood from Ju, and poured all of it on the head of one of them.

"In this world two things have always been certain; you and you die," Tobirama said, grabbing a second bottle. "Along the way, a third certainty came along … no matter who you are, you will suffer. You live, you suffer and you die. The suffering became so bad that one day, as a species, we began to transform death from something to be abhorred to something we look forward to. Death is an end to all the suffering, and thus the ultimate barrier to progress was made.

"You don't mess with the dead. You must let them remain at peace. When I created this technique, I had hoped to end those three certainties. What if you lived, and then you lived forever more? Eventually the suffering would stop. I had hoped to revive those dearest to me. But, I see now that the dead should remain dead."

Tobirama poured the last bottle of blood on the last dry head, and then stepped back.

"Tobirama, what the hell are you doing?" Sasuke asked.

"Forgive me," Tobirama whispered into the night."But, I must protect my most precious ones."

_**Whirlpool Country, Uzumaki Compound …**_

Hashirama sat just a foot away from Mito; both were still dressed in fine white clothing. They sat on a patch of grass, surrounded by many grapevines. Just a while behind them was the gleaming Uzumaki Compound.

"Taste one," Mito said, picking a grape and plopping it into her mouth.

Hashirama did the same, and felt an orgasm of pleasure jolt through him. The grape was heavenly beyond reason. So sweet, and the texture of the flesh so supple that he thought he was chewing on something plucked directly from heaven. Before he knew it, he had grabbed five more and was eating them ravenously.

Mito chuckled lightly, and turned away.

"Forgive me," Hashirama said, smiling sheepishly. "It's just that they're so good."

"I understand," Mito said, hugging her knees to her chest. "My great grandmother planted a seal on the soil her in her day. The seal alters the very genetics of the grapes, and makes them tastier than any wine and chewier than any normal grape."

"This place is like heaven," Hashirama said. "I wish I could make the whole world like this … or at the very least my own home."

"One day," Mito said. "It's only a matter of time. This place is so advanced only because of the extended period of peace we've known. One day, this world will abandon warfare, and when cooler heads prevail, those who are truly genius can spend their time creating things that benefit all mankind, instead of techniques to kill."

"I know what you mean," Hashirama said. "My brother is a genius … he's much smarter than me. He's always finding new ways to better himself; new ways to destroy enemies. If he had gotten a chance to be a doctor, he might've cured the world's diseases. Do you have any siblings?"

"I had an older brother," Mito said, laying down and staring at the stars. "He died defending the city from pirates that came from Water Country."

Hashirama frowned: "So even this gentle place knows war."

It was hard to imagine that. Mito's father and his sages, after taking three days to seal Shukaku into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, had fallen unconscious and probably would not awaken for several more days. He had a hard time grasping that; if he and Tobirama were not be at the village's defense, he could only imagine how long it would last before bandits or the Uchiha clan razed it to the ground. He laid down as well.

"Your brother," Mito said. "What is he like?"

"Much different from me," Hashirama said. "When everything is peaceful, he's much less serious than me, and when it's rugged he's much more serious. He spends a lot of his time thinking … I don't think much."

"Why?" Mito asked.

"I prefer to feel," Hashirama said almost instinctively.

"Is he as strong as you are?" Mito asked.

"Yes," Hashirama said. "No … maybe. I think I might edge him out in terms of raw power since I can pull energy from the world. But, he's much more innovative and like I said, smarter. If it came down to a battle to the death, he would probably win, even though I'm the stronger one of us."

"Is he that much smarter than you?"

"No," Hashirama said. "It's just … a long time ago, a clan of ninjas killed his father, and his lover. Tobirama attacked the clan and killed everyone; even the woman and children. Ever since he's been very cold toward anyone standing in his way. He's got an edge that I don't have."

"So he doesn't have any boundaries?" Mito asked.

"Maybe a few," Hashirama said. "But, he'd cross any line to protect those he loves."

They remained silent after that. Hashirama tried to find the star in the sky that could see his brother, and use it as a telescope to monitor him.

"What are you doing now, Tobirama?"

_**Fire Country, District Four of the village …**_

Tobirama clapped his hands together and called on his remaining chakra. The blood on the heads of the Uchihas suddenly expanded and pooled down on the ground, creating a complex array of seals around the sacrifices and leaving them in the center. Tobirama's fellows watched in apprehension; a growing feeling of disgust was growing inside each of them.

"Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation!"

The seals underneath the victims lit up like lights. The ground around them rose into the air, suddenly turned weightless. Instantly the earth converged on them and their screams were muffled before they could truly begin as the earth totally consumed every part of their being. It took only seconds for them to suffocate; as soon as their chests stopped moving, the earth fell away and the fifteen prisoners were gone.

Now, sitting there were the fifteen Uchiha that Tobirama and the Sarutobi ten had killed before.

"Stand," Tobirama said; the bodies stood.

"W-what is this, Tobirama?" Peko asked.

"Edo Tensei," Tobirama said. "I created it over the years after my father and Ayame's deaths. It allows me to resurrect the deceased, using only their DNA and a live human sacrifice."

"It … it's horrid," Sasuke said, his face pale as a ghost.

Peko suddenly hurled onto the ground, and she refused to look at Tobirama.

"I know what you must think of me," Tobirama said. "It's disgusting … but with this technique, we'll repel the Uchiha."

With a swift movement, Tobirama stabbed the leader, Senjin, through the heart. When he removed his kunai, the wound was immediately closed and Senjin was unphased.

"They're immortal," Tobirama said. "They don't tire, they don't die, and they don't feel. I have to remain close to them, however, in order to prevent their personalities from resurfacing. Sasuke, Peko, Ju … I want you to go to the men and retrieve all of the explosive tags that you can. We'll obliterate as many of the Uchiha as we can in one fell swoop."

They found enough explosive tags to put forty on each of the reanimated bodies. The zombies were gagged and bound like the rest of the Uchiha prisoners, and they were all lined up in rows. Tobirama stood behind them and made his way towards the open battlefield. His remaining warriors were following at a distance.

The Uchiha had done the same. Madara and Izuna stood in front of the Senju prisoners, who stood between the Uchiha leaders and the Uchiha members.

"Are you ready for round two, Senju?" Madara asked. "I assure you, this time around your tricks won't do you any good."

Tobirama walked forward and so did his prisoners. When they got close enough, Tobirama forced Senjin to suddenly take flight.

"Is that Senjin fleeing like a coward?" Madara asked. "I thought he was dead."

"He is now," Izuna said, growling.

In the blink of an eye, Izuna appeared in front of Senjin and split him in half. There was no blood. The top half of Senjin's body suddenly latched tightly onto Izuna's back. The body exploded! Boom! A mushroom of fire engulfed Izuna, and before the debris could even vanish the rest of the Edos had sprinted into the midst of the Uchiha clan.

Boom!

The night sky lit up as fire engulfed the Uchiha ranks. The sudden scatter of bodies was astounding as the Uchihas tried to escape the flames of their brothers' detonating bodies. Limbs went flying through the air. Izuna, having managed to erect a bare minimum of his Susanoo, was kneeling in a pool of his own blood.

Madara instantly rushed to his side and batted away the reformed Senjin.

"What kind of trick is this?" Madara demanded.

"No trick," Tobirama said, "this is your doom."

Tobirama stood perfectly still, commanding his Edo warriors as they jumped through the fray of clashing Senju and Uchiha bodies, slaughtering their former brethren without remorse or empathy. A powerful sweat formed on his forehead.

"You bastard!" Madara hollered.

Madara moved to try and kill him, but suddenly found his body frozen stiff. He followed the source of his petrification with his eyes to a skinny woman, struggling to keep him contained with her pathetic technique.

"Peko!" Tobirama said, realizing she was trying to stave Madara off. "Peko, run!"

Madara's anger reached its peak as Senjin attacked him once more. His Susano'o sprung to life, larger and denser than ever. The beast swatted Senjin away like a fly and, with a single movement, stabbed Peko clean through the gut. The blade, as large as it was, pierced through her entire torso. The blow sent her flying through the air, and when she reached her peak, she came falling down in slow motion to Tobirama.

Tobirama could hear someone screaming: "Peko! Peko! Peko!"

Madara and his ethereal guardian descended on Tobirama as he was screaming Peko's name, totally devoid of any other sensation. The blade nearly cleaved him in half, but suddenly a blur erupted from the confusion of the fight and tackled Tobirama out of the way. Tobirama barely registered that it was Koga; the Inuzuka and Aburame clans had arrived. They were saved, but yet he could not even fathom it.

"P-Pe-Peko!" Tobirama screamed.

The battle around him intensified as the Inuzuka and Aburame clans swept through. Understanding that their defeat was imminent, the Uchiha quickly began to retreat. Madara lifted his brother onto his shoulders and easily struck down anyone who tried to stop him.

"Goodbye, Senju Tobirama," Madara said. "I look forward to dancing with you again."

Within minutes, the Uchiha had vanished into the night. Koga and Kageru cleverly chose not to follow them:

"A dog is most dangerous when wounded," Koga had said to the men.

Tobirama crawled through the charred field in search of his most precious one. The bodies were everywhere, their blood watering the grass. Friends of his were among the dead, but he merely stepped over them in the search of a single body. He found her, and collapsed to his knees at the sight of her; his face contorted and his mouth flew wide open, but not a sound came out.

Peko was mangled. The blade had destroyed her entire midsection, and her body was only held together by small strings of meat. Her skin was dry, for every last bit of blood had drained out of her. Her hair was caked with mud and blood, her eyes were wide open; a single tear drop had just managed to form in her eyes. She was beautiful. There was peace on her face.

At first, Tobirama resorted to whimpering. Bitter, pathetic tears streamed down his face as he continued to stare at her still, rigid form. No one dared to grab, or try and console him. Many were too busy doing the same as he was. Many were simply trying to find their loved ones; their hopes were dashed when they found the mangled bodies of their brothers and lovers, decomposing in the grass.

Finally, Tobirama moved to touch her. Her blood caked immediately on his hands, turning them the dark color of blood.

They stayed there, mourning, until the sunrise. It was an extremely crisp morning. It was cooler than normal, despite the smoking remains of district four and foliage around it. A fine layer of dewdrops blanketed the grass, the bodies and the mourners. The dawn sunlight shone through the drops, shining brightly in contrast to the dark blood that pooled around the field in mounds.

The sweet water cleansed Tobirama's mind long enough for him to deliver orders. Akimichi do this, Sarutobi do that. Yamanaka go here, Nara go there. Inuzuka this way, Aburame that way.

He felt so cold on the inside.

Hashirama arrived two days later, and collapsed to his knees in fury and sorrow at the sight of the covered bodies. When they finally managed to calm him, he helped dig every grave without the use of any technique. They decided to bury the bodies there in the field where they had died. A speech was given, and a stone was made on which they carved the names of every victim; the memorial stone. Nara Peko was lost somewhere amongst those names.

When the funeral was done, everyone simply went home if they still had one. No one was ready yet to rebuild; first had to come the healing.

Hashirama and Tobirama sat quietly atop the mountain. Tobirama, still reveling in Peko's memory, told Hashirama of her plan for the village.

"What did you find out?" Tobirama asked.

Hashirama recounted his journey to, in and from Whirlpool Country word for word as it had happened. Tobirama had found it beyond ironic that while he had lost the love of his life, Hashirama had gone and gotten himself a fiancé.

"Hard to believe," Tobirama said. "I don't hate the Uchiha because it's in my blood … but I hate them now … I hate them so much!"

Tobirama punched a hole in the stone in his rage. "But," he continued. "The Uzumaki said they'll back us up. What exactly do we need back up for?"

"We're going to unite Fire Country," Hashirama said, as simply as if he were saying they were going to make sandwich. "By this time in five years, every clan in Fire Country will either be a part of the Senju Clan or …"

"You know the Uchiha will never fold to us," Tobirama said.

"When they see how outmatched they are, they will." Hashirama said. "They'll have no choice but to abandon their pride and give in."

"And if they don't?" Tobirama demanded, hoped even.

"Then we'll crush them," Hashirama said.

"Good," Tobirama said. "I hope they hold on to their pride for all eternity."

They looked out over their village, on its knees and broken from outside terror. They promised to each other that it would never happen again. The village beneath the mountain would stretch as far as the eye could see, and its skyscrapers would tickle the stars, and its defenses would be so powerful that the gods themselves would fear to attack it.

"This world has refused to change," Tobirama said.

"So we'll change it ourselves!"


	10. Chapter 10

AThousand Hands

Summary:The rise and fall of the man who moved nations; Senju Hashirama.

Disclaimer:Naruto Series is not mine

**Arc Four:** The Hidden Leaf Village

"_Temple bells die out._

_The fragrant blossoms remain._

_A perfect evening!"_

_-Basho_

"Hashirama, sign the contract if this woman, my daughter, is to be yours," Han said.

Hashirama's hands quivered.

There was a rush of murmurs throughout the temple, which was filled to the brim with people of all walks of life; clan heads sat alongside villagers, and villagers alongside trained assassins to watch the ceremony. Tobirama stood silently in the doorway and watched with a mixture of amusement and regret. Finally, Hashirama steeled his nerves and gently wrote his name on the contract in front of him.

To Hashirama's left was Uzumaki Mito. She was dressed in her finest white clothes, her skin was powdered white and her hair was wrapped to the sky. In front of the sitting two was Han, the Uzumaki clan's leader, and Chuuko, who was acting as the representative of the Senju clan.

"Now," Chuuko said. "Mito, sign the contract if this man, as beloved to me as my own son, is to be yours."

Hashirama had done a good job of hiding his fear; his brushstrokes had been smooth and clean and had not reflected his utter fear of commitment to this single woman. Mito did not have the nerve that he had.

Mito stared at the contract with her large, pupil-less eyes the way that someone would stare at a cage. That was what this contract represented to her; she was to be caged to this man's whim. Mito knew Hashirama to be a gentle spirit. She understood that he would treat her well, and that he would never seek to limit her pursuits of knowledge and pleasure, but the contract scared her nonetheless. As her hand began to sign the contract, her entire body started to quiver and her resolve began to shake.

Hashirama, noticing her fear, gently laid his hands on hers. The gesture seemed to calm her, for she stopped shaking and gently wrote: 'Uzumaki Mito' on the dotted line.

"Now, you may exchange your rings," Han and Chuuko said in unison.

Hashirama and Mito turned to face each other. Their eyes met, and with those glances came a rush of emotions that crashed and churned like waves of the sea. They put the rings on each other's fingers.

"Now, you may drink your sake," said the elders, once more in unison.

The two lifted small bowls of alcohol, and gently ladled it into the other's mouth. Immediately there was a rush of applause from the audience of the temple. The villagers and ninjas hugged and laughed and kissed and hollered. The marriage ceremony than exploded into a party; for hours the attendees drank sake and danced wildly on the temple door until finally, as the sun began to set, the temple bells sounded loudly and people slowly filed out and headed home. Hashirama, Mito and Han remained. Mito and Hashirama had spent much of the party talking between themselves about the last three years, and what steps needed to be taken to finish the unification of Fire Country.

"The Uchiha have to be dealt with," Mito said. "You can't avoid it any longer, Hashirama. This country, and the eventual plan, can't go forward until you crush them all."

"You're asking me to commit genocide," Hashirama said, exasperatedly. "I won't kill an entire clan of people; especially one as large as the Uchiha clan."

"Then what will you do?" Mito asked. "Time is ticking, Hashirama. Only seven years remain."

"That's long enough," Hashirama said, this time a bit more forcefully.

"Seven years is merely the blink of an eye," said Han. "But tonight, you two stop speaking of duty and futures … enjoy your marriage as if it weren't a business arrangement, for me please."

Han and Mito had a short, and curt goodbye. He would be making his way back to Whirlpool Country with the rest of the Uzumaki escorts this very night. Hashirama had learned over the past three years that Mito's relationship with her father was a strained one; she almost hated him for ingraining in her the ideas of duty to the clan and the future. She just wanted to be free. When Han walked away, Tobirama stumbled over to them with a bowl of sake in hand, his cheeks rosy and his eyes bloodshot.

"Tonight my brother becomes a man!" Tobirama hollered, spilling some of his sake. "Forgive me my Lady."

"Go home Tobirama," Hashirama said. "You're drunk."

"Hardly," Tobirama said, suddenly he seemed to be sober and he stood straight. "I just came to remind you that the emissary from the Hyuuga clan will be at our doorstep tomorrow at seven in the morning, sharply. I'll let you two have the house, just for tonight."

"Where will you go?" Mito asked.

"It's a perfect evening tonight," Tobirama said, taking a deep breath. "I'm gonna find a beautiful woman, take her for a swim and … you know. Have fun."

When Tobirama vanished around the corner, Hashirama and Mito decided to stay away from the home. First they went to find something to eat. Naturally, every restaurant in the village would have accepted them with open arms and given them a feast for free. They decided to avoid the crowds, and they went to a small fish stand on the outskirts of the village. When the food was gone, once again they felt the pressure to return home.

"We don't have to go home yet," Hashirama said, feeling her shake as they grew closer to his house, which was now a giant red mansion. "Let's go to the mountain top."

There, on top of the mountain, they watched the sunset. The golden fire of the sun seemed to light the entire country on fire.

"It's so vast," Mito said.

"The vast lands fertile," Hashirama said in return. "Once you witness this beauty, it's hard to believe that just beyond our vision there could be battle happening … when I sit here, I always imagine that somewhere out there is a hollow land … yet to be touched by war and human greed. It is waiting to be shaped."

"I try not to think like that," Mito said. "The whole world is full of bad people, but for every bad person there are two good ones. You have to find the good inside the evil, and when you find it, enhance it."

Hashirama's gaze fell down to the village. Three years had passed since the Uchiha clan had attacked, destroyed district four and harmed many of the other districts. Since then, every district had expanded, district four was bigger and livelier than ever and one more had been added. It seemed that soon this village would consume the green pastures that carried out to the end of his vision.

The Uzumaki clan's assistance had been vital in there rapid resurgence. Most helpful had been a sealing technique that allowed people to mark objects with a seal, mark a scroll with that same seal, and thus summon objects through the scroll. It had been unimaginable. A journey that might take five days due to carrying heavy equipment was shortened to just a day. Supplies moved at light speed. It made rebuilding much easier.

It had also made warfare much easier; the Uchiha clan had found itself overwhelmed in conventional warfare when the Senju never needed to retreat in order get more supplies. This change in dynamic came with a change in the system of the Senju clan.

Hashirama and Tobirama now stood firmly at the top of the mountain. The clan heads were still heads of their clans, but merely in a traditional sense. All ninja missions were first directed to the Senju brothers. They would then approach whatever clan had the best skill set to handle that mission, and the clan head would be allowed to choose the individual clan members who did the mission. Thus, the Senju clan became a picture of absolute efficiency.

Within three years, they controlled the entire northern half of Fire Country, and where quickly beginning to assimilate Uchiha territory in the south. The only clan not under the fold of either Senju or Uchiha was the Hyuuga clan, who controlled a peninsula that jutted out of the south of the country.

The first two years after the Uchiha's attack on the village had been bloody. Daily conflicts, and daily struggles. When the direct battles had threatened to destroy both clans, a sort of peace was established. Now, they vied for the attention of potential clients. Whenever someone hired the Senju clan, their opponents would hire the Uchiha clan. Thus, they fought their wars through others. More and more, southern peoples were moving north to contract the Senju over the Uchiha.

Since then, Hashirama had battled Madara many times. Their relationship was almost cordial.

"Let's go home," Hashirama said when the sky went black.

Hashirama realized immediately that Mito had never laid with a man. He had done so with many of the woman inside and outside the village. She was tense to his touch. So, he did not force the issue. Instead they simply laid in bed, and he enjoyed the fragrance of her hair. He fell asleep quickly.

When Hashirama woke up the next morning, Mito was at the table in their room writing away on a piece of paper.

"What are you doing?" Hashirama asked.

"I'm finishing this seal for Tobirama," Mito said. "When he showed me his original design, I was very impressed. No one, even in the Uzumaki clan, has ever made a seal that allowed people to traverse space and time. However, I'm sure that I can modify it to make it slightly better."

Hashirama grunted in approval. When Tobirama had showed him 'Suijin's Heavenly Doorway', he had nearly died of astonishment. His brother's ingenuity was at times frightening. Though of course, that had paled in comparison to finding out his brother could now raise the dead to fight for him. The entire concept of 'Edo Tensei' still gave Hashirama the chills.

"The Hyuuga emissary is waiting for you," Mito said.

"What?!" Hashirama said, jumping out of his bed. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"He said to let you sleep," Mito said, never turning away from her design. "He figured you'd had a long night."

Hashirama quickly groomed himself and made his way to the greeting hall. There, dressed in tan and white robes, was a man with long brown hair, pale skin and creamy white eyes without pupils. His forehead was covered by a white bandana. He rose quickly and bowed to Hashirama, who bowed curtly in return.

"Lord Senju-."

"Please, call me Hashirama."

"Of course … Lord Hashirama, I'm here to escort you to the Hyuuga compound. I am Hitachi, the humble servant of my master, and now a humble servant to you."

"Would you like to eat first?" Hashirama asked.

"Thank you, but no thank you, Lord Hashirama. Lord Tobirama fed me well upon my arrival. Let us depart quickly, so that we can make good time. I'll wait for you outside."

Hitachi left, and Hashirama moved to tend to his business. Mito, sour that she was pulled away from her design, hastily sealed his armor and his Kusanagi into a scroll. He kissed her gently on the forehead before she vanished to return to her work. Tobirama came soon after her, looking well-rested and happier than usual.

"You're sure you don't want a personal escort?" Tobirama asked. "You're going deep into Uchiha territory in order to get to Hyuuga territory."

"Madara knows I'm going to meet the Hyuuga head," Hashirama said. "He'll probably be heading there as well. He won't attack so dishonorably. He'd want to kill me right here, so the whole village could see it!"

"You'd be surprised how quickly a desperate dog will abandon his honor," Tobirama said. "Either way, be swift and strong. We'll be waiting for your return."

Hashirama and Hitachi immediately headed south. Through a map, Hitachi explained that the Hyuuga were at the very edge of Fire Country territory; on a peninsula. The middle fourth of the peninsula was Fire Country, the upper fourth was Noodle Country and the bottom half was more or less Tea Country; though Tea Country was experiencing bloody wars and might well just be considered several loosely associated states.

"We'll pass through Keishi," Hitachi said. "The capital of Fire Country."

"The majority of the Uchiha clan is there," Hashirama said.

The Uchiha were nomadic, and did not claim to have a specific base of operations. Over the years, however, Hashirama had found out that they garnered most of their money through Keishi, Fire Country's capital and home to the richest men in the country. Since Hitachi needed to rest, it took them three days to reach Keishi.

Keishi was a sprawling city; it was much larger than Tanzaku Gai or Otafuki Gai and thus much larger than Hashirama's unnamed city under the mountain. Over all, Hashirama found it to be unimpressive. The majority of the city was in squalor, while standing on a hill was massive castle where no doubt the Fire Lord and his noblemen cowered. The city was no match for Gouben, the capital of Whirlpool Country.

Hitachi led Hashirama to a massive compound just outside the capital, and very close to the castle of the Fire Lord. Sitting on the doorstep of that compound was none other than Uchiha Madara. For the first time, Hashirama saw Madara without his Sharingan active. His eyes were a dark chestnut, and he looked almost like a human being.

As if they were not mortal enemies, Hashirama and Madara bowed gracefully to each other.

"Lord Madara," Hitachi said. "I am Hyuuga Hitachi, the humble servant of my master and-."

"Enough of your drivel," Madara said, sounding bored. A servant came from behind him and opened the door. "A feast awaits."

Hashirama felt wrong walking into the compound. The inside was almost empty, much to his surprise. For the most part it seemed to be non-Uchiha servants that occupied the building. Hashirama noticed immediately that almost all of the servants were woman.

"It's not a military base," Madara said, noticing Hashirama's nervous gaze. "It's a comfort house. My clan has the luxury of being very nomadic. So, I set up many of these such houses so that any Uchiha in the area can come and rest. There are five or six around Keishi, since most Uchiha are in the city as we speak."

In the dining hall there was a great feast prepared for them. The woman of the house moved about rapidly to serve them. It was a meal of lamb and rice; sparse compared to the generous meals offered by other clan heads. Then again, Hashirama had figured he too would not go out of his way to feed his greatest nemesis.

"Why here?" Hashirama asked. "Why, Keishi?"

"Isn't it obvious, Hashirama?" Madara asked, fetching for one of the girls. "Keishi, before your village came along, was the most profitable place in the country. Maybe the world. Hundreds of powerful clans have fought for the rights to this city. We Uchiha had to eradicate the entire Fuuma clan in order to get it. When you control Keishi, your money flow is high. As long as we promise to protect them, the Fire Lord and his nobles will pay us exorbitant amounts."

"You aren't protecting them," Hashirama said. "You're just not attacking them."

"Only if you imagine there's a difference," Madara said. "Either way, every taxed dollar in the country is at our whim, now."

"How many people actually pay their taxes in Fire Country?" Hashirama asked. "Less than ten percent? The rest of the country is too disorganized or dangerous for taxmen to harass. What do you gain from keeping the Fire Lord cooped up here, and unable to rule his country?"

"Well, you can't exploit a man who controls a whole country," Madara said. "If he gets his act together, there'll be more to tax, yes, but it would be much harder to threaten him. Better to keep him in his little rut, where what little he does make is mine to plunder."

"You'd keep the whole country poor, just stay rich?" Hashirama asked, beginning to feel disgusted.

"And you're any better?" Madara asked, smirking knowingly. "If you are so hell-bent on world peace, why haven't you and your vast Senju army come here and simply seized Keishi? Don't feel ill towards me, Hashirama. I know more than greed. I had hoped to unite all of Fire Country under a single banner … the Uchiha banner. But of course, you and your people came to power and now the country is more divided than ever."

Hashirama came to realize strikingly that he and Madara shared the same goal; they wanted the total assimilation of Fire Country into a single entity. The rest of the dinner was mostly silent. Afterwards, Hashirama was escorted to his room by a young woman. It was well-furnished, and he could sense no traps.

Much to his surprise, the door opened sometime in the night. A young woman stepped in. Before Hashirama could say a word, she was stripping.

"W-what are you doing? Put your clothes on!" Hashirama said.

"My lord, Lord Madara sent me to keep you company," the woman said.

"No thank you," Hashirama said. "Just go …"

"My lord, please!" she said, the desperation in her voice evident. "I'll be punished if I leave toni-."

"Then stay here!" Hashirama said.

Hashirama quickly stepped out of the room and made his way to the front of the compound. It was well lit with lanterns, which was good because the sky was dull due to their proximity to a city as luminous as Keishi. Madara was sitting on the steps, staring into nothingness. Hashirama set a few feet from him.

"You didn't like my gift?" Madara asked, seemingly amused. "Kerai is the finest that this compound has to offer."

"I appreciate it," Hashirama said. "Sounds like I'm missing quite the night to trade words with a mortal enemy. Besides, I just got married yesterday. I don't think my wife would appreciate it."

"I heard," Madara said. "I'm sorry I couldn't attend … mortal enemies and all."

"You said you wanted to unite all of Fire Country," Hashirama said. "Why?"

"Why?" Madara repeated. "I don't know why. It's the logical next step. Part of me wants to see there be peace, so that my clan members no longer know bloodshed. I hate to see the young ones die. It boils my blood."

"I'm sorry," Hashirama said. "The battles between our clans have killed many young ones. You must hate me."

Madara laughed. "Hate you?" he asked. "Don't confuse it, I do wish to kill you in a horrible manner … but I don't hate you; at least not in any manner I understand. What would I do without you? The main reason I decided to spread across Fire Country was simply boredom. I figured the farther I spread out, the more likely I would be to find a worthy adversary. I was right … beyond right. Now, our war threatens to destroy the whole country."

"We don't have to fight, Madara," Hashirama said.

"Don't be naïve," Madara said, staring at the sky. "It'll be written in history! The Senju versus the Uchiha!"

"Monster!" Hashirama said, feeling his face go red with anger. "You'd let thousands of people die just for a chance to etch yourself into history? In the end, no powerful ninja is powerful against the current of time. You and I will soon be forgotten. Staying in memory a year or two longer is not worth having people die. It's senseless, Madara!"

"What then?" Madara asked. "Peace? How will we do that?"

Hashirama was suddenly struck, and lost for words. He had never considered how a peace between them would actually last. A good chunk of the Senju economy now was trying to fend off the Uchiha when contracted.

"Goodnight, Hashirama," Madara said, standing and sliding the door open. "Please, be gentle with Kerai."

The woman was fast asleep on his bed when Hashirama returned. He sat on the wall, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes. His meditating, however, could not pull him from the darkness of his imagination. It had dawned on him suddenly, and painfully, that nothing remained for the Senju and Uchiha clans but full-scale war. He shuddered to imagine the level of devastation that would happen.

It would all start when they reached the Hyuuga clan. If the Senju won the Hyuuga clan's favor, then the war was decidedly on their side. If Madara got the Hyuuga clan's favor, then the battling would be decidedly more even and more brutal.

Another servant woke them up before dawn. A small breakfast was eaten, and Madara said goodbye to his compound. Oddly enough, no one paid him in any mind. There was no grieving party that Hashirama thought a man like Madara, who figured himself to be a god, would have. They slipped silently from Keishi and made their way due south.

It was nearing the end of spring; Hashirama always found this to be a beautiful time. The sun shone brightly, but they had not neared summer enough to face the sweltering heat waves of Fire Country. It was like walking through a dream, or would have been had it not been for the sheer terror that Madara seemed to inspire in anyone they crossed paths with. Ninjas and civilians alike recognized the symbol on his back and either ran or brought gifts.

They never paid to stay in an inn.

Past noon, three days later, they crossed from what was traditionally the territory of the Uchiha clan, into what would be considered Hyuuga territory. Hashirama could smell the salt of the sea water. Hitachi seemed to notice.

"We're nearing Kanashii Ocean, and my home," Hitachi said.

The Hyuuga Clan had fashioned themselves a city on a cliff. It was segregated beyond belief. The outer edge of the city was occupied by civilians only. The people here were very poor in comparison to the civilians of Gouben, or even of Keishi or Hashirama's village beneath the mountain. The second layer of the city was comprised of many Hyuuga; but they were not as wealthy looking as Hashirama would expect of one of the country's wealthiest clans.

"Is this the area of the Branch Family?" Madara asked.

"Correct, Lord Madara," Hitachi said. "You are very astute."

"The Branch Family?" Hashirama asked.

"The Hyuuga Clan is split into two houses," Hitachi said. "The Main House and the Branch House. The Main House governs the Hyuuga clan, while the Branch House protects it."

"More than that," Madara said, spitting on the ground. "The Branch House is basically a house of slaves. The Main House treats them as dogs. I find it despicable that anyone could treat their own clan members like that."

"Is that true?" Hashirama asked.

"It's all a matter of perception, I guess," Hitachi answered.

The final section of the city was a massive compound, akin to the Uzumaki compound in Gouben. The compound stood with its back to the cliff. It was walled off to the rest of the city by large, pearly white walls. The three travelers were met with a massive gate, with two Hyuuga at sentry posts and one standing in front of the gate.

At Hitachi's command, the guards opened the gates and a bell began to resound around the compound. Immediately, Hyuugas began to stream out of the compound homes and walk towards the gates. The sidewalks were lined with sakura trees, and the pink-leaves mixed with white robes gave Hashirama the feeling of walking into heaven. Madara felt quite the opposite feeling; he resisted sneering at the pretentious and worthless vermin lining up to meet them.

A man who looked much like Hitachi, but dressed much finer, stood at the forefront. He bowed, and the other Hyuugas followed suit.

"Lord Madara, Lord Hashirama," the man said. "I am Himachi, the head of the Hyuuga clan. A pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure's mine," Hashirama said, smiling widely.

Madara said nothing.

"This way please," Himachi said. "My finest chefs have produced a feast for your arrival."

Himachi led them to what was called the Hyuuga 'dining hall'; it was a massive, ceremonial building used for Main House dinners. There were many tables, and a table at the center where Hashirama, Madara and Himachi sat.

"I hope my brother treated you well," Himachi said.

"Hitachi is your brother?" Hashirama said, marveling somewhat. "He was great! This clan has some fine leaders."

Madara scowled: "Hitachi is no leader here," Madara said.

Before Hashirama could even think to question Madara, the waiters streamed out of the kitchen with large plates of assorted sea foods. Hashirama clapped when a plate of thick lobster and other delicacies was placed in front of him.

"So, Lord Himachi," Hashirama said. "I hear your clan is organized into houses. Over the last couple years, I've gotten really interested in organizing people. Please, tell me more about this set up."

"Thank you for asking," Himachi said. "The Hyuuga Clan is a very ancient clan, and as an ancient clan we've faced many trying times. In order to better protect our clan secrets, many hundreds of years ago, the clan was split into the Main and Branch houses. The Main House remains very exclusive and small, and leads the clan. The Branch House does most of the fighting and working."

"Interesting," Hashirama said; it sounded nice, but Madara's words from earlier where clinging to him. He was not sure he wanted an alliance with a clan that treated its own members like slaves. "How are Hyuugas placed into branches?"

"If you are born to Branch family, you are a Branch member. If you are born to a Main family, after the first child, you are a Branch member."

Hashirama resisted scowl and suddenly losing his manners said:

"Well, that's ridiculous."

"Not ridiculous," Himachi said, not missing a beat. "Its fate. Instead of trying to weed out those worthy of ruling from those who aren't, we simply let fate decide. Much easier, and much more efficient."

"Then …" Hashirama came to a sudden, cold realization. "Your brother?"

"Yes, Hitachi is part of the Branch House," Himachi said.

Hashirama could not force himself to finish the rest of his meal. His stomach was churning with nothing less than disgust. He could not imagine turning his own brother into a pseudo-slave. It was sickening. Madara seemed to notice his disgust.

"Why have you called us here, Himachi?" Madara asked. "It seems like a very poor plan for picking an ally. Bringing us both here at the same time, sitting us together. Are you trying to negotiate a peace?"

"No," Himachi said. "I've come to understand that the Senju and Uchiha clans aren't going to come to peace. You've both come to need each other. When a wealthy man hires the Senju clan for a mission, his wealthy enemies hire the Uchiha clan to oppose them. You're economies thrive from combating each other. Soon, it will erupt into full scale war … war unlike anything this country has ever seen before. So, I've come to exercise what little power I have here."

"You have no power," Madara said after a snort. "Don't think because I have chosen not to crush you, that I cannot crush you."

"You are wrong there, Lord Madara," Himachi said. "You have chosen not to war with us because the Hyuuga clan is large enough and strong enough to fight back. When full scale war breaks out between your two clans, whoever we decide to join is the likely victor of the conflict. I understand, however, if I don't pick a side, then the Hyuuga clan will be sucked into your war and destroyed."

"Choose wisely," Madara said, a threatening tone in his voice.

"Your threats mean nothing, Lord Madara," Himachi said. "If I join the Senju Clan, then you try to destroy me. If I join you, then the Senju and Uzumaki clans try to destroy me. I've brought you two here to give you fair negotiating ground … you can sell your point."

"My point is simple enough," Madara said. "Join the Uchiha clan, or be eradicated."

"And you, Lord Hashirama," Himachi asked.

Hashirama at first avoided speaking; his gut told him to simply leave and never look back. Himachi had suddenly become a worm in his eyes, and the thought of working with him made Hashirama's skin crawl. It was only Tobirama's cold, spiritual, presence that kept his gut at bay. After all, risking his entire village over a moral dilemma was deplorable.

"The Senju Clan is an organization striving, ultimately, for peace," Hashirama said. "If you join us, you become a part of a family of ninja clans that support each other."

"How much power do I retain over my clan?" Himachi asked.

"I'll allow you full control of your clan," Madara said. "However, you answer to every Uchiha of considerable rank."

"As much as possible," Hashirama said. "The Senju clan works closely together. Your clan would have to relocate, eventually, to our base in the heart of Fire Country. Our system gives the clan heads as much power as we possibly can."

"I had figured as much," Himachi said between a bite of a fish. "Either way, I am subject to your wishes. The sovereignty of the Hyuuga clan head is diminished. So, the question becomes a simple matter of which of you is more powerful? I have set up a test-."

"You'd have us do battle in your compound?" Madara asked. "This flimsy city could not handle the weight of our power."

"I didn't come here to fight anyone," Hashirama said, standing.

"Please, Lord Hashirama you won't have to fight each other," Himachi said, pausing until Hashirama retook his seat. "There are many amongst the Main Family who think that somehow our clan can survive as a third party in the eventual outbreak of war. I am not so foolish. I would simply like for you both to prove that you can fell this clan's best two warriors, and thus silencing those dissenters."

"Fine," Madara said. "But, I'll show him no mercy."

"When?" Hashirama asked, after a pause.

Himachi stood and clapped, suddenly making the entire hall go silent. The Hyuugas understood the signal and immediately started to file out of the hall. The trio followed the mass of people to the edge of the cliff; there was a massive raised platform that the people circled around.

"This is our sacred sparring area," Himachi said. "Here we have our Thousand Sparring Ritual, where whoever is to be clan head must spar one-thousand consecutive opponents. Here, we'll have our fights. Who would like to begin?"

"Let's start this dance," Madara said, stepping onto the platform.

A thin mist had rolled onto the cliff face and was making its way up towards the platform. Himachi gestured into the crowd, and immediately a young Hyuuga man about Madara's size stepped onto the platform. The Hyuuga dropped his robes, leaving on nothing but his pants and a sash around his waist.

"This, Lord Madara, is Himusha," said Himachi. "He is one of the most skilled fighters in the Hyuuga clan. The rules are simple; because there are so many people watching, Ninjutsu is not to be used so as to avoid casualties. Anything else goes. Are you ready?"

"You think that stripping me of Ninjutsu will aid your warrior," Madara said, a sneer across his face. "You're wrong. The Hyuuga Taijutsu is powerful, but it's no match for me."

Madara's eyes went crimson, and many in the crowd shivered at the feel of the dark power of his eyes. Himusha made a single hand seal, and suddenly his temple veins enlarged to massive proportions and connected to his eyes. His normally absent Hyuuga pupils suddenly became a dark outline.

"Is that the Byakugan?" Hashirama asked.

"Correct, Lord Hashirama," Himachi said, pride leaking from his voice. "The Byakugan is the Bloodline Ability passed down from Hyuuga to Hyuuga. It allows a full three-hundred sixty-degree view, the ability to see far ranges and the ability to see through solid objects. It's especially useful in battle because it allows us Hyuuga to see the three hundred and sixty one chakra points of the body."

"Why would that be useful?" Hashirama asked.

"Our fighting style depends on it," Himachi said. "Since we can see chakra points, we can attack them with our chakra. Our fighting style is Jyuken, the Gentle Fist. It is the most powerful Taijutsu style in the world."

The battle had already begun. Hashirama immediately noticed the difference between Madara's style and the Jyuken. The Jyuken was like flowing air. Himusha was in constant motion; circling, fading, and leaning. Madara's style was more like lightning. It was direct, sudden and consistent. They seemed to be at a stalemate; Madara was landing firm punches, but could not deliver finishing blows for fear of being even touched by Himusha.

"Even Lord Madara fears it," Himachi said. "A single touch from a Hyuuga can close chakra points; disrupting chakra flow. When enough chakra points are sealed, then even moving becomes difficult. Our style is so dangerous because no matter how powerful you are, you can't train your insides."

Madara and Himusha met in another clash of fists and open palms. Madara's speed allowed him to bypass Himusha's air-like fluidity. He landed a solid punch to Himusha's jaw, before ducking a palm and sliding away. Madara growled; this was starting to become annoying to him.

Himusha rushed forward and Madara watched closely; his Sharingan told him that Himusha's stance was too perfect to bypass; a physical assault would result in him being killed. He smirked, and waited for his moment.

It was brief, but Himusha foolishly met Madara's eye. In that instant, Himusha suddenly collapsed mid-stride, his mind having been turned to mush through three days of continues mental torture. Madara walked calmly over to the quivering form of Himusha, and viciously stomped his throat.

"Not even a workout," Madara said.

"Madara!" Hashirama yelled, tensing up.

"It's fine," Himachi said. "The Hyuuga clan has no use for a weak clan member."

A group of Hyuugas calmly removed the body from the platform, and the next Hyuuga took his place; it was Hitachi. He too was shirtless. His body was marked by many long, and ugly scars. Slowly, Hitachi removed his headband, revealing a strange blue marking running across his forehead.

Hashirama removed his upper clothing and placed the scroll with the Kusanagi gently on the floor. He removed his shoes in order to feel the cold feel of the platform under his feet.

"Lord Hashirama, do not underestimate me," Hitachi said. "Even though I am a Branch House member, I am the strongest fighter of the Hyuuga clan. I won't fall easily."

Hashirama noticed off handedly that the mist from the ocean was growing thicker; it slightly impaired visibility now. He was embroiled in his thoughts, and he hardly noticed Hitachi rush him in a wonderfully protected stance.

They met a flurry; Hitachi's hands moved as quickly as lightning, and his feet were as solid as a mountain. Yet, he could not make his way past Hashirama's iron hands which parried and returned his every move.

Hashirama launched his assault suddenly, sending Hitachi reeling back. He quickly knocked Hitachi off-balance before punching him squarely in the jaw; it was like punching iron. Hitachi's face suddenly exuded a bright blue chakra. Without warning Hitachi began to spin and the chakra escaped every pore in his body and spun with him; creating a powerful spinning shield of chakra. The shield knocked Hashirama back like a man would knock away a fly.

Madara, standing next Hitachi said: "I've never seen that one before."

"Eight Trigrams: Revolving Heaven," Himachi said. "Kaiten is created by releasing chakra from every chakra point and spinning to make an impenetrable defense. Only a Hyuuga could use it properly, for it requires the most precise chakra control."

Hitachi stopped spinning, falling into stance.

"Lord Hashirama, you are within my range of divination," Hitachi said.

Hitachi vanished, and reappeared in front of Hashirama. Before Hashirama could strike back, he struck him twice, then two more, then four, then eight, then sixteen, then thirty two times. The final blow came as a powerful palm to the chest, sending chakra crashing through Hashirama's system and tearing into his insides.

"Eight Trigrams: Sixty Four Palms!" Hitachi yelled on the final strike.

"He's been defeated!" Himachi said, astonished.

Madara snorted.

Hashirama struggled to stay standing.

"I admire your resilience, Lord Hashirama," Hitachi said. "But … I have closed sixty four of your three hundred and sixty one chakra points. At this point, you won't be able to function. I'm sorry."

Hitachi rushed forward to close the distance and end the match. It was only because of his Byakugan that he saw Hashirama's chakra points suddenly rush open, as a powerful new energy crashed through his chakra circulatory system. Hitachi stopped in mid-stride, astonished by the development.

"How?" Hitachi demanded. "I sealed your chakra!"

"I wanted to see just how powerful the Hyuuga clan really is," Hashirama said. "And I see now. Very admirable!" Hashirama grinned widely. "Almost anyone else would have been done in by that attack. But now, the show is over. Surrender."

"I can't do that, Lord Hashirama," Hitachi said.

Hashirama felt the natural energy run through his veins and mix with his chakra to become a far more powerful chakra. He pushed some chakra through his legs and vanished from sight. Hashirama punched Hitachi in the chin with such force that Hitachi came off his feet and spat blood as he landed like a rag doll on his back.

"You fought valiantly." Hashirama said, still grinning. "I can respect that!"

There was a bit of a silence; Himachi watched with a red face.

"Well, Lord Hashirama?" Himachi said, angered. "Aren't you going to finish it? As I said, the Hyuuga clan has no use for weak fighters."

"I won't," Hashirama said. "He's defeated, and can live to fight another day."

"L-Lord Hashirama," Hitachi said through the blood in his mouth. "P-please! I knew the consequences when I took this role. It is my fate to die here today!"

"I don't believe in fate," Hashirama said.

Himachi made a single hand seal. Suddenly, the seal on Hitachi's head began to glow brightly. The nearly lifeless Hitachi was suddenly full of energy as he grabbed his forehead, kicking and screaming as if his brain was being scrambled from the inside out.

"Enough!" Hashirama said.

"Lord Hashirama, I must," Himachi said. "Hitachi is weak, and must be punished for that weakness so that other Branch members don't repeat his weakness. Besides, Kaiten and Sixty Four Palms are techniques reserved strictly for Main House members; Hitachi has broken our laws by learning it."

Suddenly, Himachi was in the air with Hashirama's hand clenched tightly against his throat. Himachi released the seal and helplessly grabbed Hashirama's forearm. Hashirama's eyes had taken on the quality of cold metal, and Madara noted that he had only seen those eyes before in Tobirama.

Madara grabbed Hashirama's forearm, bringing him to his senses enough that he let Himachi drop helplessly to the floor.

"A man who would treat his own brother like scum!" Hashirama said. "A clan that values the lives of some more than others!" Hashirama spit angrily at Himachi's feet. "Everything about this disgusts me! I don't think I want you in the Senju Clan; you'd sully our good name with your pompous way of life."

The mist had grown thicker now, but no one cared to notice. A voice suddenly came from all directions, hidden by the mist.

"It doesn't matter," the voice said. "You're all about to die!"

"And who do you think you are to kill us?" Madara asked.

"I am Sugoi, leader of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen of Water Country," the voice said, confidently. "We are the most powerful pirates in Kanashi Ocean. Your city lies on the edge of our territory and is due for some plunderin'."

"You're in over your head," Madara said. "I'll kill you all myself."

"Oh, we've heard of you, Uchiha Madara," Sugoi said. "And of Senju Hashirama. You two are rumored to be the most powerful ninjas in the world. And this is the compound of the Hyuuga clan, a real powerful clan. Doesn't matter. Me and my band of seven are going to kill you all right here!"

Hashirama grabbed his Kusanagi scroll; the mist was too thick now, and they could hardly see each other.

"Madara," Hashirama said. "It looks like we're going to be fighting together."

"It's unfair really," Madara said.

"Senju and Uchiha together," Hashirama agreed with a grin. "Who could stop us?"

_**Village beneath the Mountain, Fire Country …**_

Tobirama took one last gulp of sake; the warm liquid burned his throat and gave him a sudden clarity of thought, followed quickly by a fuzziness of vision and a release of tension. He stroked the fur around his neck gently, and tried to clear his mind of the ghosts that haunted him. His mother, his father and his two lovers; they flitted in and out of existence in his eyes.

The ghosts vanished suddenly, when the door opened and Mito walked into the room; her hair was like fire on her head and she looked rather pleased with herself. Her eyes were on fire with a passion that Tobirama understood very much; it was pride.

"I've completed the seals!" Mito said, laying down a scroll on his table.

Tobirama studied the seals on the paper and found himself amazed; compared to his original seals for 'Suijin's Doorway', this was a masterpiece in comparison to a crude children's drawing.

"What did you do?" Tobirama asked.

"At first I couldn't figure out how to fix it without having you ripped to shreds," Mito said. "But, eventually I managed to incorporate a pressure release seal, which will protect you from harm during space-time travel. Secondly, I added a barrier seal which will protect your water droplets from harm, meaning you can use just regular water instead of finding rare elements."

"Astounding," Tobirama said. "You're a genius."

"Nothing compared to you," Mito said, a hint of jealousy in her voice. "I was only able to do what I did because of your original design. In thousands of years, no Uzumaki has ever mastered the art of space-time travel. How did you come up with it?"

"I battled with a pair of bandits who could summon giant animals to fight for them," Tobirama said. "After the battle I figured the animals had to be hiding somewhere far away and then summoned. I figured such fast travel would be amazing for battle."

The door suddenly opened, and in streamed ten men dressed in black capes with plain white masks covering their faces. They lined up across the wall and bowed slightly.

"The Sarutobi Ten?" Mito asked.

"You finished the seals just in time," Tobirama said. "Our surveillance has been tracking the Uchiha brothers. Madara is with Hashirama in the Hyuuga stronghold. Izuna is in Rain Country with the Uchiha Vanguard. He's trying to gather allies."

"And you're going to go kill him?" Mito asked.

"You can't stop me," Tobirama said.

"I don't intend to," Mito said. "I am more like you than like my husband. Hashirama, even though he knows it can't be, has secret wishes for peace between us and the Uchiha clan. I don't think so optimistically. We have a duty to this village and to the world to solidify our power as quickly as possible. If you kill Izuna, then we'll gain a decisive edge over the Uchiha clan. Once you kill him, the country is going to be ours."

"And who could stop us?"


End file.
